In August one of the greatest natural spectacles can be admired in the night sky, the meteor shower of the Perseids. In the ideal case, falling stars can be observed every few minutes, including some very bright ones.
The The greatest chance for such fireworks is in the morning hours of August 12th. Unfortunately, the light of the crescent moon, which rises around midnight, affects the view until dawn. But many of the Perseids should still be bright enough to overcome the moonlight. “Ideally, you can still observe up to 40 or 50 meteors per hour,” said Prof. Thomas W. Kraupe, director of the Planetarium Hamburg.
“Even in the late evening of August 12, there is a good observation window for this shooting star fireworks display before the moon rises. For a good “show”, it is crucial that the place is as dark as possible, without interference or obstacles. Take at least an hour, because the meteors come in spurts and in between we often experience calm. “”
Perseids: How does the natural phenomenon come about?
Like raindrops, cosmic dust particles hit the earth’s atmosphere above us and create traces of light. It is the fiery wreckage of a comet. “Every August the earth passes the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle in its orbit around the sun and crosses the ‘cross-road made of dust particles’ that it has left behind. Some of the particles that burn about a hundred miles above the ground are bright enough to be visible over the big city – often these meteors shine for a long time, ”says Prof. Kraupe.
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Perseids all seem to start from one point, but that’s wrong
“If you expand your glowing light trails, they all seem to come from a point in the northeast, the ‘Radiants’ in the constellation Perseus on the border to the ‘Himmel-W’. This is why this annual meteor shower is also called Perseids. ”
The entire period of activity of the Perseids this year lasts from July 17 to August 24. The shooting star spectacle in the summer sky has long been observed. Catholics associated it with Saint Lawrence. This martyr was born on August 10, 258 in Rom executed. According to legend, his tears of fire fall from the sky every year at this time – the “Laurentius tears”.
“Take the Perseids’ time, because all good things come to those who can wait,” concluded Prof. Kraupe. These shooting stars move in different directions and whiz across the sky for countless constellations. They are small, shiny fragments of comets. So there is no way to predict exactly how many you will see on a given evening – enjoy the show. ”
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The comet “Neowise” leaves, the Perseids come: After the guest appearance of the brightest comet for years, sky observers can already look forward to the next astronomy spectacle. As every year in August, the legendary Persian swarm promises countless shooting stars that can be seen without optical aids. The climax of the meteor shower is expected around August 12, but the view of the night sky is already worthwhile.
For night owls and early risers
Because even on the nights before the Perseids maximum, many of these summer meteors are already running through the night sky. Night owls or early risers should be able to catch a glimpse of a summer shooting star in the cloudless sky. Some observers then feel invited to entrust a secret wish to the shooting star.
Dozens of Perseid meteors per hour
At the time of the Perseid maximum, up to a hundred shooting stars could glow in the sky per hour – but only under unusually good observation conditions. Rather inexperienced observers shouldn’t see so many shooting stars.
The August meteors have always marked a fixed date in the astronomical calendar for fans of shooting stars. The summer shooting stars take their name from the constellation Perseus. There is a clear starting point for the Perseid meteors, the so-called radiant.
In reality, however, the shooting stars come from the immediate vicinity of the earth: Our planet orbits a cloud of tiny particles every year between mid-July and late August, with the comet 109P / Swift-Tuttle orbiting our central star. left behind.
Traveling at a speed of 216,000
When Earth hits this comet’s cosmic dust trail, which returns approximately every 133 years, the particles, often only the size of a pencil, reach the Earth’s atmosphere at 60 kilometers per second – at an incredible speed of 216,000 kilometers per hour. At a height of 80 to 100 kilometers, the small dust particles then create the light phenomenon called shooting stars.
Just like in thick snow
The observer who runs through the earth with a swarm of meteors shows a driver in thick snow: If you look through the windshield, all snowflakes seem to come from a common starting point. In reality, only perspective plays a trick, like the Perseids, whose traces of light can all be traced back to the constellation Perseus.
Perseids like spectacular fireballs
The larger meteors shine as brightly as bright stars and planets when they enter the atmosphere. The so-called fireballs are even brighter, but also less common. These spectacular meteors often pull a colorful tail after them.
Good all-round visibility is important
Skywatchers do not need any special equipment to watch the Perseids – a lounger or sleeping mat and good all-round visibility are sufficient. Binoculars or even telescopes are an obstacle when it comes to finding the meteors that burn in seconds – the field of view of such instruments is far too small to capture the agile sky cruisers.
What is the best way to photograph the Perseids?
A place far from the cities flooded with artificial light offers the best observation opportunities. If you want to photograph the meteor flow, you need to use a wide-angle lens, put the camera on a tripod and choose a long exposure time.
Incidentally, August meteors are popularly called Laurentian tears. The name recalls Saint Lawrence, who died martyrdom on August 10, 258 under the rule of the Roman emperor Valerian. Legend has it that it has rained fiery tears since then.
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