The Perseids are here; how to see the ‘fireballs’ of summer’s brightest meteor show
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The Perseids are here; how to see the ‘fireballs’ of summer’s brightest meteor show
Perseids are known for their swift and bright meteors that often leave long “wakes” of light and color as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere. The Perseids are expected to deliver a show with more than 50 meteors per hour, and potentially up to 75. The meteor shower originates from the debris of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which takes 133 years to orbit the sun.
The Perseids, active from July 17 through August 23, are renowned for their “bright blue meteors — and lots of them,” . as the best meteor shower of the year, known for their swift and bright meteors that often leave long “wakes” of light and color as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere.
WHEN DOES IT PEAK?
It peaks on the night of August 12 into the morning of August 13. Despite the challenge posed by the bright full sturgeon moon on August 9, which may hinder visibility, the Perseids are expected to deliver a show with more than 50 meteors per hour, and potentially up to 75, .
With a new moon on July 24 providing darker skies, the Perseids will be easier to view ahead of their peak, weather permitting.
WHAT IS ITS ORIGIN?
The meteor shower originates from the debris of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which has the largest nucleus of any comet known to regularly pass close to Earth. The comet takes 133 years to orbit the sun, and its connection to the Perseids was first discovered in 1865. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, although they do not actually originate there.
Bill Cooke from NASA noted that the Perseids result from “bigger particles than a lot of other showers,” giving them the appearance of “bright fireballs” that are easier to spot.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER METEOR SHOWERS?
While the Perseids are the highlight of the summer meteor showers, other showers such as the Alpha Capricornids and Delta Aquariids are also active during this period. The Alpha Capricornids, known for their “vivid” and “brilliant bursts,” will peak on the night of July 29-30, while the Delta Aquariids, producing 10-20 meteors per hour, will also peak on the same night.