Perseid meteor shower: when and how to best observe shooting stars this year

The spectacle will peak on Tuesday afternoon. In the evening, the number of shooting stars will be especially large, and this phenomenon can be easily observed with the naked eye.

Writes UNN with references to the BBC and Tagesspiegel.

Details

The Perseid meteor shower is one of the best meteor showers of the year.

The main spectacle was expected this weekend, but the culmination will last until Tuesday.

Experts say that the best chances to see a meteor appear just after midnight and end about an hour before sunrise, but it's worth checking the weather at your location.

Route to the Perseids

Perseus is located in close proximity to the constellations Cassiopeia and Giraffe.

Tip:

Find the constellation of the Big Dipper;

then find the rear axle of the Cart (the Big Bucket);

then pull this axis upwards - you should reach the North Star;

Extend the route again by the same length in the same direction;

Now you should see the constellation Cassiopeia, advises the Tagesspiegel .

For reference

Meteors, the official technical name for shooting stars, are small particles of rock or dust that burn up in the high atmosphere. But it can also be the illumination of larger bodies farther away. The phenomenon is studied in the science of astronomy.

Dr. Gregory Brown, Senior Research Scientist at the Astronomy Department of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, said that the Perseids are one of the fastest meteor showers.

"They move at speeds of up to 37 miles per second, but they are no bigger than paint particles or grains of sand falling into the atmosphere," he said.

Although this causes this rather bright light show, they have absolutely no chance of falling to the ground. And even if they did, they're so tiny they wouldn't do any harm

You can make a wish during a starfall

The idea that found shooting stars make wishes come true is well known in the folk beliefs of many countries. But there are other myths surrounding meteor observations. For example, in the Upper Palatinate, it is believed that where a shooting star falls to the ground, there is a treasure - just like in the fairy tale Sternthal.

Recall

Earlier , UNN told you that the Delta Aquarid meteor shower would light up the night sky- it was about how to watch a spectacular starfall.