The Perseids produce more visible meteors than any other annual meteor shower.
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Those in the north of England will have a better view.
What is the Perseid meteor shower? The celestial light show happens every August as the Earth passes through a cloud of debris left in the orbit of the Swift-Tuttle comet.
The shower will light up the sky as dust particles heat up as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere, according to University of Washington’s Astronomy Department. If you still don’t get a chance to look out for the meteors, Slooh and NASA both will be streaming the Perseid meteor shower online, starting at 8pm and 10pm ET Wednesday, respectively.
The oldest meteor shower known to Earth – the Perseids – is expected to be especially vivid tonight.
Keep warm, look to the east and be patient – there may no be no sign of the meteors for a while before a sudden spurt of activity.
The Perseids are associated with the comet “Swift-Tuttle“. “What we see is a ‘shooting star.’ That bright streak is not actually the rock, but rather the glowing hot air as the hot rock zips through the atmosphere”. As many as 60 meteors an hour may be seen in a dark sky.
Heads up. The Perseid meteor shower will make its way across the night sky this week, and astronomers say the moonless sky will make for the best viewing since 2007. Forecast for late Wednesday night, early Thursday morning is fair. Even before or after the peak dates, it’s still possible to see meteors.
The Perseids are named after the constellation of Perseus, because the meteors appear to originate from this single point (or radiant) when watching them from the ground.
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No telescope is required, but a red light is recommended, as it improves night vision.
