The annual Perseid meteor shower is fast approaching, with the best time to observe being the early morning hours of Aug. 13. The meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a trail of space debris left by the Comet Swift-Tuttle, creating streaks of light commonly known as shootin’ stars. While a trillion particles enter Earth’s atmosphere daily, observing on a moonless night from a dark, rural site can result in seeing about five meteors every hour.
Meteor showers like the Perseids happen yearly as Earth passes through the same cloud of comet debris, with the best time to observe being after local midnight. Observing before local midnight, when Earth’s spot is pointed away from the direction of its orbit, can result in fewer meteors being visible.
Despite astronomers not being particularly interested in meteors until the great Leonid meteor shower in November 1837, the hunt for annual meteor showers began. The Perseids were eventually discovered, but not until the middle of the 19th century. Stay tuned for more information on the history of meteor showers and practical observing hints in the next article.
The Perseid meteor shower is expected to be one of the most spectacular showers of the year, providing a memorable celestial show for skygazers. Make sure to mark your calendars for the early morning of Aug. 13 to witness this cosmic phenomenon.
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