Publication:
Sat 08 August 2020 2.30 pm
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LEEUWARDEN – The meteor shower Perseids is coming again. That will result in shooting stars in the coming days. Reached Wednesday evening according to Weeronline the meteor shower is the peak and can occur 40-50 meteors per hour. The best time to watch is the middle of the night to Thursday. “We will have to wait and see whether the conditions are favorable to look at. Veil clouds can throw a spanner in the works.”
The Perseid swarm occurs every year around August 12-13, but the number of meteors entering the atmosphere varies greatly from year to year. This year, the number of meteors (including accidental meteors not from the Perseids) is quite low at 40-50 per hour. Two years ago, the number was much higher with 100 shooting stars per hour.
This year we will also have to have some luck to see the meteors. In addition to clearings, some clouds are also expected in the nights. Veil clouds often do not stop the sun, but can be a big hindrance to the light glow of the meteors. The shooting stars we see are located at an altitude of 80-100 km and then burn quickly.
The Perseids are the most famous meteor shower in our country, along with the Geminids that occur around December 13. This year, the number of meteors from the Geminids is more than 100 higher than that of the Perseids. Next year it will be reversed and there will be more shooting stars from the Perseids.
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