How and when to see the Perseid meteor shower visible from Devon this week

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A local astronomer said an exciting meteor shower will peak on Thursday and Friday.

Astronomers have been wearing their telescopes for the past month to provide witness to the Perseid meteor shower that began in late July.

According to John MacLean of the UK Meteor Monitoring Network, meteor showers originate from dust left by passing comets and asteroids and Earth’s orbit means it passes through these particles.

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Mr MacLeod said: “August gives us the opportunity to see another spectacle in the night sky, not a comet this time, but a meteor shower, in this case, the Barshawi meteor shower that begins in late July but reaches its peak on August 12 and 13.

“Meteor showers originate from dust left by the passage of comets and asteroids, and when the path of Earth’s orbit causes it to pass through dust, some dust particles can enter the atmosphere and cause falling stars, or to give them appropriate astronomical characteristics. Name and meteorites.”

“Most of the meteorites we see shooting up into the sky are no larger than a grain of sand and will burn up long before they reach Earth.

“However, some of them are slightly larger and actually reach Earth and these are known as meteorites.”

MacLean saw 37 meteors from Exeter on Saturday night (Photo: John McClain) What causes the Perseid meteor showers?

The Perseid meteor shower is a highlight on many meteorite hunters’ calendars due to the high rate of clock and bright meteors caused by Earth’s collision of debris left by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle in July and August each year.

It is called the Perseids because it appears that the meteorites originated from the constellation Perseus. Astronomers call this point the meteor shower radiation.

In 2021, the Perseid meteor shower is active between July 16 and August 23, with the number of meteors increasing each night until they reach their peak in mid-August, after which they will fade. The peak this year falls on the night of August 12 before the dawn of August 13

MacLean said that the Perseids meteor shower began as a dust trail of a comet, specifically Comet Swift-Tuttle, a periodic comet with an orbital period of 133 years.

It was last seen from Earth in 1992 and will return in 2126.

It is 26 kilometers wide, which means it is not the largest of the comets, but it is still the parent body of the Perseids.

MacLean says the Perseids are one of the most reliable and brightest meteor showers and under good conditions can produce between 50 and 100 meteors per hour.

“Fortunately in 2021 the moon will be out of the way during peak showers and that will make it easier to see meteors,” he said.

Mr MacLean captured an image of the Perseids meteor shower using one of the cameras at the Exeter Observatory, which is part of the UK’s meteorite monitoring network.

There are 100 cameras across the UK that monitor the night sky every day of the year.

To spot the Barshaw meteor shower, MacLean says, “On the evening of August 12 and 13, get out after midnight and give your eyes about 20 minutes to get used to the darkness, scanning the sky from left to right, starting in the northeast near the bright star Capella.”

(Photo: PA)

“A good idea is to wrap yourself up warm and maybe lie comfortably in a sunbed while you watch the sky.

“Maybe have a flask of hot drinks with you and enjoy the view while the perishas flow across the night sky.

“You might even want to make a wish even though I can’t attest to its effectiveness.

“If you want to record your observations, write down the time and direction the meteor’s path begins, the direction of travel, and the colors you see in the experiment.”

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