When will the Perseids glide?

Every summer, we used to observe an amazing starfall. In August, this meteor shower does not occur by chance, but by its usual schedule.

general information

Do not think that the starfall is some kind of spontaneous event that takes place in the immediate vicinity of our planet without any warning. In fact, any meteoric stream passes next to the Earth's orbit on a schedule, at the same time of the year.

Traditionally the most memorable phenomenon that occurs in the sky is the star shower Perseid. Most often the most active phase of this flow occurs between the seventeenth of July and the twenty-fourth of August. It is believed that the Perseids are the most dynamic and spectacular starfall, so it's no surprise that almost every year many people are concerned about when there will be a stargazing.

Quite often this sight coincides with the superunion. Together, both of these phenomena look unforgettable.

History of Perseids

The first comet, which became the ancestor of the stream, was the comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered by these two scientists in the distant 1862. And the discovery was carried out by them separately from each other almost in one day. It was for this reason that it was decided to assign a double name to the comet.

The total period of revolution of the comet around the Sun is one hundred and thirty-five years. The last time this comet passed near the Earth in 1992. Because of such close proximity to the Earth, the comet became the cause of the high activity of Perseids. As a result, next year, during the usual starfall, scientists saw an unprecedented number of meteors, at times the total number of celestial bodies exceeded the mark of five hundred pieces per hour.

With the distance from the Sun, the number of Perseids is getting smaller every year. Since the late nineties this spectacle does not cause as much emotion as it caused earlier. Scientists estimated that next time the comet will pass in close proximity to the Earth only in 2126, accordingly, only then there will be an increase in the number of falling meteorites.

The very first mention of meteorites (Perseids) dates back to the thirty-sixth year BC in the Chinese chronicle. In general, this starfall is often mentioned in various Chinese, Japanese and Korean chronicles, until the nineteenth century. Hence, even at that distant time, residents were also interested in the question of when there would be a starfall in August. Unfortunately, with past technologies they did not have the opportunity to get an exact answer to this question. While we know in advance how much it will be possible to see the most spectacular starfall.

In Europe Perseids for a long time called "Tears of St. Lawrence", as the festival in honor of this saint was held at the peak of the meteor shower.

When will the starfall?

The maximum of stars is, as a rule, the same dates every year. You can admire the starfall on the twelfth and thirteenth of August. The total number of meteors reaches from one hundred to one hundred and ten in one hour, so that in the end you will enjoy an unforgettable spectacle.

Especially attractive is the fact that to look at the starfall in August, you do not need to purchase any special astrological instruments, as everyone can enjoy this spectacle. It is enough to just get out of the house and find a place in which the view of the sky is not blocked by various buildings or trees.

Most often the main peak of the fall of Perseid falls on the time interval from twelve to fourteen thirty. It is worth remembering that the intensity of this phenomenon can vary significantly from year to year, since everything depends directly on the density of the cloud of particles that are in the section of the trail from the comet that is crossed by our planet.

Where is it better to watch?

In addition to worrying about when there will be a starship, it's worth taking care of how to look at it correctly. The best option is to find a place remote from city lights. It is important that the chosen night is not too lunar, because in such a situation you will have a chance not to notice not too bright meteors.

During the stargazing it is not necessary to always look at the same point in the sky. It is best to take with you a comfortable chair with a folding back or an ordinary chaise longue for the beach. This will allow you, without straining, for your pleasure, to survey the whole sky.

Why do we see a starfall?

The question "What time is the starfall?" Is not correct, because often you have a real opportunity to see these meteorites all night, from the moment they appear on the eastern horizon, and ending with how they will flood the whole sky.

Perseids are white meteorites. Stars of other colors for this phenomenon are not typical, so they can be attributed to another thread, which is not so noticeable.

Starfall in August is due to the fact that the Earth is in the plume of dust particles formed at the tail of the comet. When this object approaches the Sun, the particles begin to heat up, after which they are scattered into small pieces of ice. In turn, the fragments of the decaying meteorite fall into the earth's atmosphere and burn in it. During the outbreak, these fragments are like stars, which we see during the stargazing.

A similar phenomenon can be observed while being in any part of our planet.

Starfall in August. What time will the next one take?

Meteor streams are repeated strictly after a year, since their orbits have a common intersection area. And our planet crosses this region not immediately, but for several weeks. Therefore, you can enjoy this amazing spectacle at any time during almost the whole month, from the seventeenth of July to the twenty-fourth of August. The exact time is what time the starfall will not be called, since meteor shower can be seen practically at any time interval.