August is the brightest month of summer, both day and night. It is at this time that you can see the brightest meteor showers of the entire year -. A magical spectacle and a bit of romance are promised to every resident of Russia who is able to go out into the street in the dead of night.
What are the Perseids and where does this meteor shower come from?
Earthlings can observe the Perseids due to the blue planet's entry into the dust trail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet is located in the constellation Perseus. Small dust particles following the comet's tail, burning in the earth's atmosphere, give off bright flashes, like fireworks.
How the Earth enters the Perseid radiant was clearly shown by the scientific portal Sky & Telescope - all due to the rotation of our planet:
These dust particles look something like this:
However, no one can afford such artifacts, because these pieces of rock burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere without a trace. The particles move at a speed of 20 km/s.
When and where will you be able to see the Perseids meteor shower?
The traces of Swift-Tuttle are already partially visible from Earth, but the peak of Perseid activity will occur at maximum approach - on August 12-13. However, you can observe the meteor shower, albeit not so intense, until August 20. The best time for observations is 3-4 am, and for the southern regions of Russia - up to 5 am. By the way, viewing is equally available for all of Russia.
Experts note that this year the Perseids will not be as intense as in the past, but they will be better visible due to the new moon this coming weekend on August 11th. Also at this time, you can still see another meteor shower - which are already moving away from the Earth.
Perseid radiant - how to find it in the sky:
You need to look up to the constellation Perseus in the sky, but how to find it? The reference point will be Ursa Minor and the North Star. To the right of it is the constellation Cassiopeia, it looks like the letter “W”, sloping to one side. The two stars below are the Perseid radiant and Perseus itself.
(Total 15 photos)
1. A meteor streaks past the stars in the night sky above. Like most meteor showers, the Perseids are formed by the remnants of a comet's tail. (REUTERS)
2. Meteor shower in the night sky over Glastonbury. Fragments of rock ejected from the nucleus of this comet, entering the Earth's atmosphere, burn up in it, flaring up like stars. This phenomenon can be observed from anywhere on the planet, but in the northern hemisphere it is brighter. (ANTHONY SPENCER/CATERS)
3. Perseids in the night sky over Somerset. (STEVEN SPRAGGON/CATERS)
4. Photographer Mark Humpage took more than 3,000 photos of the sky in hopes of capturing the spectacle, but ended up with this star trail. The image was made from several images of the sky that he took over 6.5 hours. Despite pointing his camera at the sky from 10pm to 4:30am with 15-second exposures, Mark only managed to capture one meteor (above left), and it wasn't a Perseid. The ghostly figure of Mark can be seen in the garden - the photographer is sitting on five chairs. (MARK HUMPAGE / APEX)
5. Photographer Andy Keane climbed a hill in Powys, Wales to take this photo. “I climbed the hill between 10:45 pm and 3:00 am, armed only with a camera and a flask of coffee. We didn't have to wait long. A few minutes before the sun set and darkness fell, the night sky lit up with bright meteors rushing past me and colliding with the Earth's atmosphere. In an hour I counted about 40. It was an amazing sight, and I will never forget it.” (NATIONAL NEWS & PICTURES)
6. A meteor streaks through the night sky over the Lieberg hill in Grossmoogl, 30 km north of Vienna. (AP)
7. In Europe, the Perseids were called “Tears of St. Lawrence”, since the St. Lawrence Festival, which takes place in Italy, falls on the most active period of meteor shower - August 10. Photo: meteor over Mount Matka near Skopje, Macedonia. (EPA)
8. A meteor flies in the night sky over the El Torcal nature reserve in the southern Spanish town of Antequera, near Malaga. (REUTERS)
9. Meteor over Nanning, China. (KPA / ZUMA / REX FEATURES)
10. It is officially believed that the discoverer of the annual Perseid meteor shower is the Belgian Adolphe Ketele, who reported this spectacle in August 1835. In the photo: another photo of the meteor over Nunning. (KPA / ZUMA / REX FEATURES)
The Perseids will be best visible in places where the sky is not obscured by clouds. To observe a meteor shower, you do not need special equipment (telescopes, tubes, binoculars). It is enough to go further outside the city (30-50 kilometers) so that light pollution is minimal. Astronomers advise to go to a place where the eastern or southern part of the horizon is more open to observe the Perseids. 15 minutes before observations, stop looking at sources of bright light (flashlights, smartphones, fire) so that your eyes get used to the darkness. If you have poor eyesight, don’t forget to wear glasses. In addition, the nights become noticeably colder in August, so be sure to bring warm clothes with you just in case. When observing a meteor shower, it is best to take a lying position (take a mattress with you) and try to watch the night sky continuously for 15 minutes (or better yet, even more).
What is the best time to watch the Perseid meteor shower?
It is best to observe the Perseid meteor shower (it is also often called a meteor shower) on the nights of August 11th to 12th and 12th to 13th. The maximum peak of stream activity occurs on the night from the 12th to the 13th. Observation should begin at 10 pm and continue until approximately 3 am. It will be possible to observe falling meteorites on other nights, but it is during this period of time that meteorite activity will be maximum. The International Meteor Organization (IMO) forecast meteor shower rates of up to 120 per hour this weekend.
Is it possible to photograph falling meteorites?
Can. Having a SLR camera and the skill of working with long exposures.
When is the next meteor shower?
The Perseid shower is an annual phenomenon. Those who are unlucky this time with weather and cloudiness can try their luck next year.
The next meteor shower, called the Draconids, will be observed from October 8 to 10. These are different meteor showers, and they are not as active as the Perseids. Their predicted frequency of falling is about 15-20 meteors per hour.
> Perseids
Perseids– meteor shower of the constellation Perseus: when to observe, peak activity, location, connection with comet Swift-Tuttle, research, interesting facts.
Perseids is an annual meteor shower that lasts from July 23 to August 20. Associated with Comet Swift-Tuttle. The peak occurs on August 12-13. It is sometimes called “the tears of St. Lawrence” because it falls on the date of his martyrdom (August 10).
Main parameters of Perseids:
- Parent body: Swift-Tuttle
- Radiant: Perseus constellation
- Radiant – coordinates: 03h 04m (right ascension), +58° (declination)
- First entry: 36 AD
- Dates: July 23 – August 20
- Peak: August 13
- Maximum quantity: 80
The name partly comes from the Greek “Περσείδες” - “sons of Perseus”. There is an association with Perseus here because the radiant (the point from which the stream appears) is located in the direction of the constellation Perseus. The radiant only creates a random alignment with the constellation, since the stars of Perseus are located several light years away, and the meteors themselves are 100 km away.
A stream of debris stretches along the comet's orbit and is called the Perseid cloud. The Swift-Tuttle orbital path is 133 years. The particles inside the cloud remained there for thousands of years. The peak occurs on August 13, but in 1865 a dust arc caused a shift of one day - August 12.
The Perseids can be observed as early as mid-July, with speeds reaching 60 meteors per hour during their peak. If you are interested in the highest speed, then it is better to observe a few hours before dawn. Most meteors burn up at an altitude of 80 km.
By focusing on the path of the comet, the meteor shower provides the best view for residents of northern latitudes. In the southern hemisphere, the spectacle is much fainter, since the radiant never rises above the horizon at southern latitudes.
It is best to choose dark places for observation, away from city lighting. The constellation Perseus is located in the northeastern part of the sky. Meteors should be viewed between the constellation and the zenith (a point in the sky above). But there is no particular need to look for Perseus, since meteors dot the entire sky.
Of course, the lunar phase will also affect visibility. You should look closer to sunrise, between 2-4 am. But you can start from 22:00. If you want to capture this spectacle, set the light sensitivity to high and the exposure to very long (at least 30 seconds).
The exact days, speed of meteorites and intensity of the peak are difficult to predict as they change every year. They can be large and bright or small and dull. This occurs due to the irregular distribution of mass in the meteor shower.
The Perseids are distinguished by their fireballs, huge bursts of light that last longer than normal meteors. Most often their values reach -3. In 2013, the average peak magnitude approached -2.7, which is significantly brighter than Gemini magnitude (-2).
On July 23, you can notice the first appearance of the shower (1 meteor per hour). The intensity increases every week and at the beginning of August 5 meteors fly by in an hour. By August 12-13 – 50-80. After the peak, there is a gradual decline and by August 22 it returns to one meteor per hour.
Data
The main radiant of the stream is located in the direction of Eta Persei, the second is Gamma Persei, and the rest are near Alpha and Beta Persei. In the myths of Ancient Greece, the Perseids were associated with the constellation. It was believed that this was a reminder of the time when Zeus (Perseus' father) visited his mother Danae in the form of a shower of gold.
The shower was first recorded in China, making a note in 36 AD, when 100 meteors were counted. Additionally, the Perseids appear in many Chinese, Japanese and Korean records in the 8th to 11th centuries, but were little talked about in the 12th to 19th centuries.
It is believed that the first to recognize the Perseids as an annual phenomenon was the Belgian astronomer Adolphe Quetelet. In 1835, he reported that in August he had recorded a meteor shower emerging from the constellation Perseus.
Comet Swift-Tuttle was independently discovered by American astronomers Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle in 1862. It is large, with a core of 26 kilometers (twice the size of the object that caused the dinosaurs to become extinct). The size of the comet and the size of the meteoroids is the main reason why we can enjoy so many fireballs during the peak period.
In 1865, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli made a connection between the comet and the Perseids. This is an important date because it was the first time a meteor shower was identified with comets.
Swift-Tuttle follows an eccentric orbit, approaching inside Earth's orbit, approaching the Sun, and then exiting Pluto's orbit. As the comet approaches the star, it heats up and ejects debris along its orbit.
In December 1992, the comet reached perigee (closest point to the Sun). This will happen again only in July 2126.
What are Perseids?
This is a meteor shower, a phenomenon that occurs when a swarm of meteoroids burns in the Earth's atmosphere. It can be compared to driving a car in rainy weather, when drops crash into the windshield - just like comet dust particles crash into the Earth's atmosphere at high speed. A meteor should not be confused with a meteorite - a cosmic body that fell to the surface of the Earth.
Despite the name “starfall,” nothing actually falls from the sky; the Perseids are tiny dust particles of comet Swift-Tuttle burning in the atmosphere. This phenomenon repeats annually during the period when the Earth is in the region of its orbit in which it intersects with meteor showers.
What is special about this starfall?
Perseids 2016
From year to year the flow varies in intensity. In 2018, they promise from 80 to 110 meteors per hour - this is slightly less than last year, but reality may differ from the forecast in any direction. Of course, other meteor showers are visible throughout the year, but the Perseid meteor shower, which occurs in warm August, is best observed. And on the night of August 13, the Moon will not illuminate the sky.
Do I need to look for a telescope?
Contrary to popular belief, optical instruments are not needed to observe starfalls. On the contrary, it can and should be observed with the naked eye. Binoculars will come in handy if you decide to view the Andromeda galaxy and the moons of Jupiter. Meteors can also be photographed: leave the camera at a slow shutter speed, and you will get particle tracks against the background of the starry sky.
Where should you watch the starfall?
Perseids 2016
Within the city limits, the starfall is practically invisible. And on the outskirts, not all meteors will appear to the eye, only the brightest. Therefore, it is best to stock up on hot tea, travel 30–40 km outside the city and find an open area. Then, if astronomers’ expectations are justified, 60–80 meteors can be seen per hour. The further away you are from populated areas, the less light pollution there is - and the more shooting stars you can see.
Bring a blanket or cot, because it is most comfortable to observe the phenomenon while lying down: your neck will not become stiff, and you will be able to see better. While standing or sitting, you need to look in the direction opposite to the radiant - this is the name of the point from which meteor particles supposedly fly out. In fact, they are flying in parallel, but it seems to us that they are flying from this point.
Where can I find radiant?
Planetarium stellarium (free software). Perseid shower radiant
The radiant of the Perseid stream is located in the constellation Perseus, it is easy to find it in the sky to the right of the Big Dipper, below the constellation Cassiopeia - the very letter W in the sky.
Why do you need to watch the starfall?
Romance, aesthetic pleasure, scientific interest, after all. This is also a unique opportunity to see how our planet moves, because meteor shower is the consequences of the contact of the Earth and a comet. So grab your friends, thermoses of tea, blankets and feel the sky getting closer.
It will be possible to meet with astronomer Igor Tirsky at the festival at lectures and master classes as part of the educational program.