Every August, when many go on vacation in the country where the skies are dark, the well-known meteor shower makes its appearance: The Perseids.
This year, the Perseid meteor shower will peak late Sunday night into early Monday morning (Aug. 11-12), when there is almost no moon, turning the night sky beautiful and dark. Visitors and counters. The first quarter moon sets around 11:20 PM local time, leaving the sky pretty dark after that. Some Perseids appear in the evening, but showers are always best from 11pm or midnight until dawn.
Or, to put it another way, expect to see more meteors at dawn because your side of Earth is directly facing the incoming meteors.
You can too Watch the Perseid meteor shower online for free Courtesy of astrophysicist Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project this weekend. The first live broadcast will begin on August 11 at 9pm EDT (0100 GMT on August 12) and the second on August 12 (0100 GMT on August 13) at 9pm EDT, weather permitting.
If you want more tips on photographing meteor showers like the Perseids, check out our How to Shoot Meteors and Meteor Showers guide, and if you need imaging gear, check out our Best Cameras for Astrophotography and Best Lenses for Astrophotography.
Where to look
In the post-midnight hours, the radiant point of the shower (the point where it appears) lies between the constellation Perseus and the ‘W’ of Cassiopeia and rises gradually to the northeast – so meteors should shine in all directions. in the sky (as seen by an observer) at a rate of every minute or two.
Anyway, that’s the forecast if your sky is nice and dark. But even if you live under moderate light pollution, as most of us unfortunately do, you can at least catch the bright ones in the Perseids. They are often described in astronomical journals as “numerous bright and fragmentary meteors” that leave continuous trains behind.
Earth must pass through its thickest part “Old Faith” The meteor shower lasted for several hours centered around 1400 UTC on August 12, which is 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on that date, which is daylight saving time across North America. So, for meteor watchers here, the night before and maybe the night after will be equally good. Fortunately, the Perseids are active – about a quarter of their peak strength – for several days before and for a day or two after peaking, and occasionally one can be seen anytime in August.
A Perseid is seen on a retrograde path across the sky, cutting a space between the constellations Perseus and Cassiopeia. Other “sporadic” meteors that travel in random directions occur every 5 or 10 minutes. Delta Aquarites and Gappa Cygnites are two weaker showers active at this time of year.
Lie down, relax, and wait
You don’t need any experience to watch Perseids. Find a spot with a wide-open sky view and no night lights nearby. Bundle up warm (sometimes it gets chilly even on summer nights), lay down on a pad or sleeping bag on the floor, or better yet, in a reclining lawn chair, and watch the stars. Also cover exposed parts of your body with mosquito repellent so you don’t get bitten.
Be patient and give enough time for your eyes to darken. The direction to look isn’t necessarily towards Perseus, but can be straight where your sky is darkest.
The Perseids are ionization trails created by small fragments from Comet 109/P Swift-Tut, which travel through Earth’s upper atmosphere at 37 miles (60 km) per second. Perseids were particularly dramatic in the early to mid-1990s around the most recent Swift-Tuttle return year (in December 1992). But, since then they have returned to normal. The comet will not return until August 2126.
Shocking events
But surprises can always happen.
On the morning of August 14, 2021, between 06:00 and 09:00 UT (2 a.m. to 5 a.m. EDT), Perseids displayed an unexpected meteor shower. The cause of this burst is currently unknown, but it may have been the result of an unknown strand of cometary debris when Swift-Tuttle raced through the inner solar system centuries ago.
In a notification on Central Bureau of Astronomical Telegraphs Circular #5016The maximum peak hour rate is estimated to be between 130 and 210, plus or minus 20. Rates are typically 50% lower after each previous night’s high, but these rates Two or three times The night of August 12-13, 2021 saw higher than expected maximum levels.
Four more years Some meteorologists predict that Earth will interact with a thick knot or collection of meteors shed by comet Swift-Tuttle in the 15th century, bringing a truly spectacular Perseid display. Several hundred meteors per hour.
Defying predictions
Sometimes, even in years when Perseid sightings are considered favorable, skywatchers report seeing only half or a third of the predicted number of meteors—and some report twice as many! It has been suggested that the stream of Perseid particles, stretching along its orbit around the Sun, has a complex filamentary structure with gaps and rich spots.
Complicating the situation is that some people’s eyes seem better suited to meteor work than others.
Regardless of your local viewing conditions, the appearance of the Perseids each year gives many people a reason to get outside and look up at the night sky. Even if you only see a few “shooting stars,” seeing one super bright meteor is all it takes to make the viewing experience worthwhile.
A final boost is that next year’s moon will be in its waning gibbous phase a few days later, filling the sky with light that will outshine all but the bright Perseid streaks. So, take advantage of the favorable circumstances that have been given to us this year.
Good luck and clear skies to all!
Joe Rao works as an instructor and guest lecturer in New York Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy Journal of Natural HistoryThe Farmers’ Almanac and other publications.
