The best night of the year for shooting stars will take place later in the week
Known for being one of the brightest and fastest meteor showers of the year, the Perseids never fail to impress.(Image: Daily Record)
Stargazers will be in for a treat as the Perseid meteor shower lights peaks in the coming days. It is one of the best annual meteor showers of the year, known for its high hourly rate of bright ‘shooting stars’.
This year, the Perseids began on July 17 and will remain visible until August 24. Its peak falls on the night of August 12-13, bringing up to 100 meteors to the night sky.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich describes the event as one of the “most dramatic” things to see in the summer’s night sky. Just days before the Perseids peak, a full Moon will dazzle the night sky. The Sturgeon Moon will rise on August 9 at around 9pm, shining big and bright.
The bright Moon will therefore bring significant light pollution to the night sky on the night of the Perseids peak, meaning it won’t be visible in all its glory. That said, a handful of the meteor shower’s swift and bright ‘shooting stars’ will be visible on its peak night. Here’s how to see them.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
The annual meteor shower is caused by the Earth passing through debris left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. These space rocks slam into our atmosphere at speeds of between 7 and 45 miles per second, causing the meteors to vaporise and leave behind a bright trail of light that we know to be ‘shooting stars’.
“With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long “wakes” of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere,” NASA wrote in a blog post.
“Perseids are also known for their fireballs,” it added. “Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak.”
How and when to see the Perseids peak
The Perseids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, though NASA says it is possible to view meteors as early as 10pm. The best time to spot the shooting stars is after midnight and before 5.30am, the Royal Observatory says.
The meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky. Smartphone astronomy apps can help observers spot the radiant in the sky.
If skies are forecast to be clear, stargazers have the best chance of spotting the meteor shower in areas away from trees, tall buildings and light pollution. Dark sky locations can typically be found in places like national parks.
“The darker the skies, the better your chances of seeing the really faint meteors as well,” planetary scientist and meteorite expert Dr Ashley King told the Natural History Museum. “You could go to the coast or stand on a hill in the middle of the countryside somewhere.”
You also need to be patient, he says. “You might not be able to see anything for the first 10 minutes while your eyes adjust to the dark,” Dr King adds.
“Once you get used to the low light levels you’ll begin to notice more and more. So don’t give up too quickly.”
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