Perseids Meteor Shower

Perseids: The Perseid meteors were shed from the Comet Swift-Tuttle, at some point in the past, and appear to come from a point (called the radiant) in the constellation of Perseus. When they hit the atmosphere, they will be travelling at a fairly fast 60 kilometres per second. It is probably best to look about 50 degrees away from the radiant - the point where all the white lines seem to be coming from.

Timing & Location: On the nights of the 12th and 13th of August, you should stand a good chance of seeing the Perseid meteor shower. This year the peak will be at August 13th, in 2011 estimated around 07:00 Universal Time. If you live in Europe, North America, Russia, Japan (or anywhere else at about the same latitude) the map below should give you an idea where to look. Unfortunately the Perseids are not visible in Southern Africa as they are below the horizon. They can be seen all across the sky, but because of the path of Swift-Tuttle's orbit, Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere. As with all meteor showers, the rate is greatest in the pre-dawn hours, since the side of the Earth nearest to turning into the sun scoops up more meteors as the Earth moves through space. The Moon spoils the party this year being in 100% waxing phase. The next two years are more favourable according to the Moon's phase.

History: he Perseid meteor shower has been observed for about 2000 years, with the earliest information on this meteor shower coming from the Far East. Some Catholics refer to the Perseids as the "tears of St. Lawrence", since 10 August is the date of that saint's martyrdom. In 2009, the estimated peak Zenithal Hourly Rate was 173, but fainter meteors were washed out by a waning gibbous moon.

Live broadcasting: Using a fish-eye lens covering the entire sky it should be able to catch some bright flashes. Audio recording with beeping systems can be broadcasted on this website. Contact us if you're planning to set this up.

Some observers witnessed lunar imparts of meteors striking the lunar surface. A stationary broadcast of the Moon could result in witnessing a lunar meteoritic impact live! Check the link below for more information.

Links:

• Read More
• American Meteor Society
• Mr. B. Cudnik's Lunar Meteoritic's Website