Stargazers prepare for meteor shower of the year as the Perseids peak | Meteors
It is time for Stargazers to dig deraque chairs to try to take advantage of what is considered one of the best showers of meteors of the year.
The perseids should peak in the night of August 12, although they were active from mid-July and will continue to be visible for a few additional weeks.
The annual event, which is most visible in the northern hemisphere, occurs when comet debris burn in the earth’s atmosphere.
“Each year, the earth involves the material rejected by an ancient celestial body, the comet 109p / Swift -Tuttle, which is estimated at more than 5 billion years – older than the earth,” said Dr. Richard Parker, astrophysicist at the University of Sheffield.
He said that the comet had visited the inner solar system every 133 years and that the closest would approach the earth in 2126.
“In particular, the comet is the largest object that approaches the earth – but fortunately, it is not planned to get together dangerously for thousands of years,” added Parker.
The Perseids arise because the debris left by the comet linger in space.
“Because we are orbit the sun year after year, we continue to strike there at the same time and from the same orientation,” said Dr. Ed Bloomer, astronomer of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. “So from our point of view, standing on earth, it seems that [the Perseids] Come from this same part of the sky each year. »»
This radiant seems to be in the constellation of Perseus – giving the shower of meteors.
Perseus is now visible in the northeast sky. But for the best chance of seeing the meteors, Bloomer said that it was worth turning to the East-South-East, looking towards Saturn, or further north, looking towards the Constellation of Ursa Major.
“To maximize your chances, if you turn slightly from Perseus, you are likely to catch them in the corner of your eye,” he said, noting that it was easier to see in low light conditions with a peripheral vision.
With the peak that occurs just a few days after a full moon, the experts said that weaker meteors could be difficult to see this year.
Bloomer said that it was better to leave late at night for a place as dark as possible, with a horizon as clear as possible, and wait up to 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust.
He recommended visualization with friends, but said that individual meteors could vanish for a second or less.
“This is one of those things where you can’t really spot it, turn to someone next to you, type them on your shoulder and try to get them to look at the same part of the sky. It is done by then,” he said. “So, in a way, it’s a fairly lonely thing, because you just have to sit down and have your eyes open and that’s it.”
