One of the most anticipated celestial events of the year, the annual Perseid meteor showerwill peak on the night of August 12 until the early morning of August 13.
This year’s event promises to be particularly spectacular, with up to 100 shooting stars expected to cross the sky every hourand visible to the naked eye.
Why are they called the Perseids?
The Perseids are named after the point in the sky from which they appear to originate, the Constellation of Perseuswhich in turn commemorates the mythical Greek hero who beheaded Medusa.
This meteor shower is the result of Earth colliding with the dust and debris it left behind in the inner solar system. Comet 109/P Swift-Tuttlewhich has a 25 km (16 mile) wide core and It orbits the Sun every 133 years.
Gradually Swift Tuttle Approaching the Sun, it melts a little, since its trajectory is close to the Earth, the gravitational field of our planet traps its material, which burns up as it enters our atmosphere and leaves long luminous trails that create the magnificent spectacle resulting cosmic. we can enjoy
In mid-August each year, Earth collides with scattered particles in the orbit of Comet Swift-Tuttle.
THE The Perseids are particularly captivating because of the long light trails They can linger for several seconds after the meteor crosses the sky.
The link between the meteor shower and Swift-Tuttle was created in 1862 by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli.
On the other hand, this astronomical event generally coincides with the Feast of San Lorenzo, a 3rd century AD Roman Catholic deacon, who was murdered by Roman authorities. For this reason, in medieval Europe, the annual appearance of these meteorites was known as the “Tears of Saint Lawrence”.
How and when to observe the Perseids
To observe this impressive ‘star rain’ You don’t need any special items like binoculars or telescopes, just get away from the light pollution of cities and settle in a comfortable place where you can best appreciate the sky.
The best time to see the meteor shower is at dawn, a few hours before sunrise, so it is necessary to get up a little early to be able to appreciate this unique phenomenon in the year.
In case the weather conditions are not favorable in your area of residence, here is a link where you can see them:
References: Space / ABC.
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