Perseid Meteor Showers Promise A Dazzling Show This Year
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There are numerous meteor showers throughout the year. However, few are as popular, or as reliable, as the Perseids. The "shooting stars" have been zooming across the skies at a rate of about a dozen an hour since mid-July. But the best time to watch them will be from midnight to dawn on August 11, 12, and 13, 2024. That is when the number of meteors will increase sharply to between 50 and 100 an hour. Also, unlike previous years, this upcoming show will not be overshadowed by a bright Moon. This will make it easier to view even the dimmer meteors.
Though often called "shooting" or "falling" stars, meteors are small debris left behind by comets as they travel through our Solar System. When these tiny particles collide with Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up, producing a bright flash that resembles shiny stars, or what we call meteors.
The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus, from which they appear to originate. They are, however, the dust and rocks left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle as it passes by Earth during its 133-year-long orbit around the Sun. The comet will not return until 2125. But the fragments shed during its last visit in 1992 put on an impressive show annually when Earth passes through the debris stream. The meteors are visible worldwide. But due to Swift-Tuttle's orbital pattern, the best views are reserved for residents of the Northern Hemisphere.
Besides being reliable, the Perseids also produce the highest number of fireballs — meteors as bright as Jupiter and Venus. NASA scientists, who have nicknamed the Perseids "fireball champions," attribute the large number of the dazzling meteors to Swift-Tuttle's large, 16-mile (26-km) wide, nucleus. They believe it sheds hundreds of meteoroids, many of which are large enough to produce fireballs.
To make the most of this celestial event, stargazers should go to a dark, open space, away from city lights. Be patient — it takes the eyes about 15 minutes to get used to the dark skies and just as long to spot a flashing meteor. Also, leave the telescopes and binoculars at home. The natural fireworks are best viewed with bare eyes! And don't forget to make a wish — it might just come true!
Resources: Wikipedia.org, Space.com, In-the-sky.com
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25 Comments
naomig083 monthsI really want to see it.
hree03 monthsSo cool
marleydelyla133 months🙄so fun.🙄
dogo23irene3 monthsI LOVE meteor showers! They are pretty! I wish I can see them! Remember to make a wish!
mico143 monthsmy family loves looking to the sky to see fascinating natural events like the solar storm back in May and the solar eclipse in April i guess i should be expecting a watch party in a week- dogo23irene3 monthsWOW! I'd LOVE to do that. Seems cool!
- mico143 monthsjust learned the ideal viewing time for my area is 1 or 2 am so viewing party isnt happening cause all my cousins are little it'll just be me and my little sister watching
- dogo23irene3 monthsOh! I guess it is still cool watching it with your sister!
- mico143 monthswe only saw two till i got tired of sitting on rocks where we live its only five meteor's per hour but i spotted 5 constellations using my star wheel
- dogo23irene3 monthsOh! At least you saw two. I didn't see anything! 5 constellations - that's great!
kayleigh20113 monthsI can't wait to see them!
charlie3 monthsMe neither
