From now on, a look at the night sky can be worthwhile again. Like every year, shooting stars from the so-called Perseids will rain down on Earth until about August 24. Because the maximum is expected for Sunday during the day, those interested have the opportunity to observe more shooting stars during the nights of August 12-13 and August 13-14.
Compared to last year, the moon hardly disturbs the observation this year. Since there is a new moon on August 16, it will only appear as a very thin crescent at dawn on nights when Perseids are more common. According to the Vienna Association for Astronomy (WAA), the best time to observe the Perseids is August 13 from about 10 p.m., increasing in speed until dawn.
Bowl of comet dust trail
The shooting stars of the Perseids are seen annually when Earth crosses the orbit of the dust trail of 109P/Swift-Tuttle (pictured below), which orbits the sun in an elliptical orbit. The comet was independently discovered on July 16, 1862 by Lewis A. Swift and three days later by Horace Parnell Tuttle.
Part of the small particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere at an average speed of 59 kilometers per second (212,400 km/h) and suddenly vaporize at an altitude of about 100 kilometers due to friction. The heated air behind the particles becomes ionized, leading to light phenomena known as meteors or shooting stars. Because the comet’s dust trail is not the same everywhere and the density of the particles therefore varies, the meteor phenomena also vary from year to year.
Up to 60 shooting stars per hour
This year, the summit should see about 100 shooting stars per hour. The increase to the maximum is slow, so that isolated shooting stars can already be observed. After the maximum, some Perseid meteoroids can be seen until almost the end of August. The best time is between 9pm and 5am, but the later the better.
No optical aids required
Optical aids such as binoculars or even telescopes are not necessary to observe meteors. The best way is with the naked eye, experts from the Vienna Association for Astronomy (WAA) advise. It is important to have an unobstructed view of the entire sky, it is most comfortable to observe lying down. The best way to observe the Perseids is in meadows or fields on an elevated spot outside the city with an unobstructed view in as many directions as possible.
First described in 36 AD
Despite the annual fluctuations, the Perseids are among the most reliable meteor showers of the year. The Perseid celestial spectacle was first described by Chinese astronomers in 36 AD. Their name comes from the fact that the meteors seem to come from the constellation Perseus.
Because their appearance coincides with the death and name day of the Christian martyr Laurentius, who was martyred to death in Rome on August 10, 258, they have been interpreted as tears from heaven and hence popularly known as “Laurentius’ tears”.
Source: Krone
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