Perseids in Ukraine: how to see a star shower on the night of August 13

Every year in mid-August, Ukrainians have the opportunity to observe the amazing phenomenon of the Perseid meteor shower.

This year, the peak of the cosmic phenomenon is on August 12-13. It is expected that up to 100 meteors per hour will be visible.

The meteor shower occurs when our planet passes through the tail of comet 109P/Swift Tuttle. Tiny particles bombard our planet’s atmosphere at a speed of 59 km/sec. Friction causes them to burst into flames and allows us to to see these flashes in the form of falling meteors.

Perseid meteors are essentially that, comet debris — tiny particles of dust and ice. They are fragile and break up when they enter the atmosphere. They usually do not reach the Earth, but if one does, it is called a meteorite.

The comet has a diameter of about 26 km. The last time it was observed in the inner solar system was in 1992 and, according to NASA, will be noticed again only in 2125. 

The Perseid shower is characterized by bright long trails in the night sky, extremely bright meteors from time to time, which can sometimes outshine the brightest stars and planets.

The best time to observe is a few hours before dawn on August 13. At this time, the radiant of the northeastern part of the sky will be the highest. However, it will be possible to see the first flashes already on August 12, starting around 22:00.

This year, however, the Moon will be an obstacle to observations, with its illumination reaching 80% on August 12-13. It will rise a few hours before midnight and may make it difficult to observe the dimmer flares.

To really observe the amazing cosmic phenomenon, you will need to find a place with minimal lighting, away from city lights. Your eyes will need about 30 minutes to adapt to the darkness. The Perseus constellation can be detected using any astronomy app on your smartphone, and you should look about 40° above.

Astronomy apps will help you choose the perfect time to observe the Perseid meteor shower. The Sky Tonight app has a special calendar that shows the periods of activity and peaks of meteor showers. The Star Walk 2 app also contains a list of upcoming meteor showers and can notify you when a peak is approaching.

You should not look directly at the radiant during observations, as this area will be dominated by very short meteor flashes. You should also not try to see them low above the horizon, as clouds and haze may interfere with your observations.

Don’t stare at the sky for a long time, take a break for 5-10 minutes. This way, you will not lose concentration and give your eyes a rest.

Source: Space