Perseid Meteor Shower 2023 Date and Peak Time: What Are Perseids? When, Where and How To See the Celestial Event in August
Perseid meteor shower is the most popular one, seeing almost 100-200 meteors passing in the darkness. This is a favourite among all stargazers. In this article, all the details about the upcoming celestial event and how you can watch it.
If you love observing the night sky, one of the most pretty sights is occurring soon. Yes, we are talking about the Perseid Meteor Shower peaking this month. The night sky will light up with fast-pacing meteors appearing like shooting stars, leaving few streaks of bright trails. Perseid meteor shower is the most popular one, seeing almost 100-200 meteors passing in the darkness. This is a favourite among all stargazers. In this article, all the details about the upcoming celestial event and how you can watch it. Celestial Events in August 2023: Two Supermoons, Perseid Meteor Showers and More - Check List of Major Astronomical Events This Month.
When is Perseid Meteor Shower 2023 Date?
The annual Perseid meteor shower is anticipated to peak on the night of August 12 and the early hours of August 13, 2023.
What are Perseids?
The Perseid meteor shower occurs when the Earth moves through debris composed of ice, rock, and dust of Comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet orbits around the sun every 133 years. A meteor shower occurs when this comet debris heats up and enters the atmosphere. It then burns in a bright burst of light as they pass through the sky. These are called Perseids, and a typical Perseid meteoroid moves at 133,200 mph when it hits Earth's atmosphere. Netizens Share Beautiful Pics From One of the Most Active Annual Celestial Events.
How to Watch Perseid Meteor Shower?
It is possible to watch the Perseid meteor shower from the Northern Hemisphere. According to Space.com, the Moon will only be 10% illuminated this year, making for clear viewing. Under optimal viewing conditions and on a clear night, it might be possible to see between 60 to 100 meteors per hour during the peak. The Perseids are best seen between about 2 am your local time and dawn. As per a Nasa blog post, The Moon rises at midnight, so its brightness will affect the peak viewing window.
To get the best view, escape to a place away from the city lights where the skies are darker with little or no light pollution.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 10, 2023 04:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).