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Look up
Calling all stargazers, it’s that time of year again: this Sunday marks the start of the annual Perseid meteor shower, which will enchant those in the Northern Hemisphere with one of the most amazing light shows the night sky has to offer.
Even better, the Perseid meteor shower doesn’t peak until mid-August, so there’s still more to look forward to. If you look up at the right time, you’re almost guaranteed to see brilliantly colored meteors hurtling through space at incredible speeds. 37 miles per secondThey leave long trails of light or “wakes” that resemble brilliant traces of light imprinted in space.
At the moment, it is expected to peak on the morning of August 12th. according to Earth SkyThis massive meteor shower, which peaks at 50 to 100 meteors per hour, is usually best seen before dawn, but after midnight the sky darkens and viewing conditions improve. The Perseid meteor shower will also gradually peak, so from early August onwards, meteors will appear one after the other, creating a spectacular display.
Be prepared for some variation in August dates, and keep in mind how local weather and light pollution may affect viewing conditions.
Continue to shine
Meteors are tiny fragments of comets or asteroids that fly through the Earth’s atmosphere. They’re called “shooting stars” because they travel at incredible speeds, over 130,000 miles per hour. Friction with the gases in the atmosphere causes them to burn up.
The Perseid meteor shower makes for a spectacular sight, especially with its fiery tip. Known for producing A high frequency phenomenon of fireballs or very bright meteors that burn very brightly because they come from a large comet.
The Perseid meteor shower gets its name from its radiant point, or the point where it appears on the surface of the sky. Appearance Although many would assume it’s the Perseids, the meteor shower actually comes from Comet Swift-Tuttle 109P, which orbits the Sun every 133 years, leaving behind a cloud for Earth to pass through each year. However, the meteor shower is named after its radiant point, which tells us where to look in the sky.
Take care, everyone: There are plenty of opportunities to see this heavenly light show, but your best chance is between midnight and dawn in early to mid-August.
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