Star-gazers are in for a treat as the Perseid Meteor shower will be lighting up the skies tonight. It is going to be extra special as it is regarded to be the year’s brightest meteor showers. Expected to adorn the skies from August 11 to 13, the meteor shower will peak on August 12 and should be visible from most parts in the country.
If you are looking forward to catching a glimpse of the meteor shower, the best way would be to be at a location that does not have a lot of air and light pollution. Notably, there is no need for any special equipment to watch the meteor shower and should be easily visible with the naked eye.
The highest number of meteors are expected to be visible between 2AM to pre-dawn hours on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Notably, it is monsoon season in India as well as a half-moon period, both of which could impact the viewing experience. "The Perseids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, though at times it is possible to view meteors from this shower as early as 10 pm," said NASA. There is going to be a live stream of the meteor shower as well that you can catch on the NASA Meteor Watch Facebook page.
Perseid meteors get its name from the point at which they appear to hail in the constellation Perseus of the northern sky. The meteor shower is said to be the leftover debris of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. It is an annual event when the Earth passes through the path of the large comet between July 17 to August 24 with the comet particles passing through the atmosphere at a velocity of 1,30,000 miles per hour or 37 miles (59 km) per second.
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