Perseids 2024 Good weather for observing shooting stars
Midsummer time is shooting star time: as every year in August, the legendary Perseids swarm promises countless shooting stars that can be seen without any optical aids.
The August meteors have always been a fixed date in the annual astronomical calendar for shooting star fans: the Perseids are the only major meteor shower in summer and one of the most prolific of all.
When can you see the Perseids?
Between August 9 and 15, the Perseids meteor stream is one of the highlights in the sky, with the highest probability of observations on the night of August 12 to 13 - i.e. from Monday to Tuesday next week. Meteonews wrote this in a blog post on Wednesday. Between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. in particular, up to a hundred shooting stars per hour can be seen, at least in theory.
However, rather inexperienced observers are unlikely to see quite as many shooting stars. Shooting star watching needs to be learned.
What will the weather be like?
This year, the weather will also play along, writes Meteonews. Thanks to a high from Friday. During the nights, the sky will only be slightly cloudy or even clear. The half moon is also not a problem because it sets in the southwest before midnight. Although it still brightens the horizon for a while, most of the sky is already dark.
What are the Perseids?
The summer shooting stars take their name from the constellation Perseus. This is the apparent starting point of the Perseid meteors, the so-called radiant.
In reality, however, the shooting stars come from the immediate vicinity of the earth: at this time of year, the earth is immersed in a cloud of debris particles as it orbits the sun. These come from the comet called "109P/Swift-Tuttle". The dust particles hit the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of around 60 kilometers per second and evaporate at an altitude of around one hundred kilometers.
At an altitude of 80 to a hundred kilometers, the small dust particles then produce the light phenomena known as shooting stars.
Incidentally, the August meteors are popularly known as Laurentius tears. The name commemorates Saint Laurentius, who died a martyr's death on August 10, 258 under the rule of the Roman Emperor Valerian. Since then, according to legend, it has always rained fiery tears on this day.
What is the best way to see the Perseids shooting stars?
- You don't need any special equipment to observe the Perseids - a deckchair or a sleeping mat and a good all-round view are enough.
- Binoculars or even telescopes are actually a hindrance to spotting the meteors, which burn up in a matter of seconds, as the field of view of such instruments is far too small for the swift celestial cruisers.
- The best observation opportunities are offered by a place far away from cities flooded with artificial light. So it's best to head for the mountains or a remote meadow.
- If you want to photograph the meteor stream, you should use a wide-angle lens, mount the camera on a tripod and choose a long exposure.
- Incidentally, some municipalities have decided to switch off their public lighting on Tuesday night to make the shooting stars more visible - particularly in the canton of Vaud. In Lausanne, for example, certain parks and monuments will remain temporarily in the dark.
