Shooting stars will soon fly over the night sky in what may be one of the biggest meteor showers of the year. The Perseids meteor shower is set to be “one of the most dramatic” things to see in the night sky to see over the summer, say Royal Museums Greenwich.
Perseids is active between July 17 and August 24, with a peak due to take place tomorrow (August 12). The shower produces bright meteors, as well as a chance of fireballs or meteors with long chains.
Meteor showers are caused by comets which get close to the sun, heat up and break off into pieces. If these debris end up in the Earth’s path around the sun, they can slam into the atmosphere at speeds of between 7-45 miles per second.
When this happens the air in front of the meteor is squashed and heated to thousands of degrees celsius, before smaller meteors vaporise and leave behind a trail of light. Larger meteors explode into beautiful fireballs.
At its peak, Perseids may feature more than 100 meteors per hour at its peak, although viewing conditions this year aren’t ideal as the shower is set to take place just three days after a full moon.
How to see the Perseids meteor shower in London?
The best time to see the Perseids meteor shower is between 12am and 5.30am tomorrow, according to Royal Museums Greenwich. It is also worth keeping an eye out in the early evening as some meteors may be visible from the UK then.
It is best to try and spot the meteors when the mood is below the horizon or when it is in its crescent phase, as it can prevent fainter meteors from being visible due to light pollution.
Where you choose to view the shower from has a big impact on visibility. If it is likely to be rainy or foggy, it is best to try and find a different location to view from.
Areas with less light pollution are best, so in London, heading outside the city into the countryside may be the best option. If that’s not possible then heading to a park or turning your back to street lamps can help.
Your eyes will need at least 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness so you have a better chance of seeing fainter meteors. Being able to view as much of the sky as possible gives you the best chance of spotting a shooting star or fireball.
It may be a good idea to use a stargazing app to find the constellation of Perseus, which is where the meteors will seem to originate from.
London weather forecast
London is set for some absolutely scorching weather over the next few days, with clear skies forecast, which will only make viewing the Perseids meteor shower more likely.
Tonight (Monday, August 11) is set to be 31C and clear skies for the day, although some cloud will begin to creep in during the early evening. Tomorrow (Tuesday, August 12) will be even hotter, clearer and sunnier at 33C, making it the best possible weather for viewing the peak of the Perseids meteor shower.
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