The Perseid meteor shower, which can be seen every August, promises a spectacular show this year. However, in order not to miss the cosmic spectacle when the Earth passes through the dusty tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle, you should understand in advance exactly when, as well as where and how best to observe the Perseids.
According to NASA meteor researcher Bill Cook, the Perseids are the most popular meteor shower of the year among amateur and professional astronomers. In 2016, according to the expert, a real “explosion” of the Perseids is expected, that is, it will be possible to observe twice as many meteors as usual: the speed of the meteor shower can reach 200 meteors per hour. The last time such an intense space show could be observed was in 2009.
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Bill Cook explained that such an “explosion” in the meteor shower arose under the influence of Jupiter - the gravitational force of the giant planet causes dust particles from the comet’s tail to concentrate in a certain zone.
When?
The Earth will pass through the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle from July 17 to August 24, with the meteor shower peaking on August 12, when the planet will be in the dustiest region of the tail. This means that it is during this period that the largest number of meteors will be observed in a short period of time. However, for some time before and after the peak moment, meteors will flash in the night sky, albeit with less frequency.
Meteors will flash from the direction of the constellation Perseus, which appears on the horizon around 22:00. However, the greatest concentration of meteors will be observed after midnight. They can appear anywhere in the night sky, but they will always appear to be zipping by, moving away from the constellation Perseus.
Since this year's full moon falls on August 18, it's best to wait until after the new moon to prevent the bright moonlight from dimming the falling meteors.
Where and how to watch?
The best places to view the Perseids are in the Earth's northern hemisphere and all the way to southern latitudes. No special equipment is required to observe meteor showers. All you have to do is wait until it gets dark, get comfortable and be patient. Experts warn that the human eye takes about half an hour to adjust to the darkness, so the longer you are outside, the more meteors you will be able to discern in the starry sky.
Comet Swift-Tuttle itself is the largest object known to astrophysicists that regularly flies past the Earth; the diameter of its core is about 26 kilometers. The last time it came closest to Earth was in 1992, and the next time it will happen is in 2126.
Every year in April the sky traditionally pleases us with the Lyrids. In 2016, this meteor shower can be observed from April 16 to April 25, and peak activity is expected on the night of April 21 to 22. On this night, scientists expect meteor shower activity of about 18 meteors per hour.The Lyrid radiant in the northern hemisphere appears in the night sky at approximately 21:00 local time and reaches its maximum height in the morning. Meteors will fly out from the constellation Lyra. You can find it by the bright blue-white star Vega in the northeastern part of the sky.
This meteor shower is one of the oldest and most famous meteor showers. It has been observed for more than 2,700 years when the Earth is crossed once a year by a stream of dust left by Comet Thatcher. The first recorded sighting of the Lyrid meteor showers was in 687 BC. from the Chinese.
Typically, this meteor shower is not very intense; you can observe about 15-30 meteors per hour. But, this is a rather interesting meteor shower, which has its own history of observations.
In 1803, over the territory of the North American continent, one could see at that time a real rain of meteors, which seemed to fly straight from the center of the constellation Lyra, where the sparkling Vega is located (one of the brightest stars in the night sky, it is easy to detect even in the most light-polluted areas). In an hour, observers could count more than 700 shooting stars, which had not happened before or in subsequent years.
Eighty-one years later, in 1884, observers counted more than 20 meteors per hour.
But already in 1922, the Lyrids again surprised astronomers and rained stars on the earth with an intensity of 1800 meteors per hour.
In 1892, the Lyrids showed activity again, although much less - about 100 meteors per hour.
From year to year, astronomers try to predict the possible intensity of the Lyrids this year or at least somehow explain the irregular bursts of their activity. So far they have not succeeded. So this spring we can see both a small meteor shower and a real historical event.
How and where is the best way to watch?
The Lyrids are best viewed in the northern hemisphere during the night (after sunset and at dawn). Find yourself a surveillance spot away from the city. Come prepared for low night temperatures with a blanket or beach chair. Lie on your back with your feet pointing south and enjoy the beautiful spectacle. After being in the dark for approximately 30 minutes, your
Where do meteors come from?
Meteors come as leftover particles of comets and their fragments (incomplete asteroids). When comets orbit the Sun, they leave a trail of dust behind them. Every year, the Earth passes through these debris trails, allowing debris to penetrate layers of our atmosphere and disintegrate, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.
The space debris that interacts with our atmosphere to create the Lyrids is generated by Comet Thatcher C/1861 G1. It was first discovered on April 5, 1861.
Starfall schedule for 2016.
The Aquarid star shower is quite strong; individual falling meteors can be observed from May 1st. But the peak of starfall activity will occur on the 4th, 5th and 6th of May. Aquarids are best observed in the southern hemisphere of the planet. The intensity of the stream will be 30-60 meteors per hour - that is, there will be flashes in the sky almost every minute.
The Capricornids are not very intense; at their peak activity, which in 2016 will occur around July 29, they will reach 5 meteors per hour. The Capricornids are actually made up of three separate streams that can drift in different directions, meaning Capriornids can usually be observed from anywhere in the world. The first stream, the main branch of the Alpha Capricornids, is most active from July 16 to August 29. The second stream, which is secondary, is from August 8 to August 21. And the third stream – from July 15 to August 1. Meteors appear from the area of the constellation Capricorn and this meteor shower is very visible in both the southern and northern hemispheres.
The Perseids are perhaps the most popular meteor shower to watch. Since he is one of the brightest. Every year he visits us in August, and the peak of his activity occurs on the 12th-14th (about 100 meteors per hour). The Perseids are particles from the tail of comet Swift-Tuttle, which approaches our planet approximately once every 135 years. the last time this happened was in December 1992. However, the Earth passes through its luxurious tail every year. Then we see the starfall caused by the Perseids.
The Orionids are a medium-intensity meteor shower, but can sometimes be intense. Usually this is 20-25 meteors per hour, but in 2006-2009, according to this indicator, the meteor shower was comparable to the Perseids. The radiant is in the region of the constellation Orion. Our planet enters it annually around October 16th. The Orionids are the creation of the famous Comet Halley. Since the constellation Orion is located in the northern hemisphere, it is also best to observe the Orionids here.
The Taurids are the common name for the two meteor showers that produce meteor showers: the northern and southern ones. On September 7, our planet enters the Southern Taurid stream and leaves it on November 19. The Southern Taurids reach their maximum annually in late October - early November. About a week after the Southern ones, the Northern Taurids reach their maximum. Both of these meteor showers are low in intensity, with no more than 5 meteors per hour, but these meteors are very large and bright, and as a result, are very visible in the night sky. The radiant of these meteor showers is in the constellation Taurus, where they originate. Astronomers believe that the Taurids belong to the trail of Comet Encke.
This meteor shower is known for its bright flashes, most spectacularly in 1833, 1866, 1966 and 2001, as it occurred in the form of a meteor shower. Unfortunately, there will be no meteor showers until 2099, but in 2031 and 2064 the intensity of the Leonids could be up to 100 meteors per hour. In the meantime, in the next 16 years, at best, we can hope for 15 meteors per hour. A meteor shower is characterized by bright meteors that leave a noticeable trail. Meteors appear from an area around the constellation Leo. The maximum usually occurs on November 17-18.
The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year, and stargazers try not to miss this spectacle, despite the cold night. Our planet enters the Gemenid band every year around December 7, and they last for about 10 days. The Geminids reach their maximum intensity on December 13, and then up to 100 bright and beautiful meteors can be observed per hour. Their radiant is in the constellation Virgo. The Geminids are one of the few meteor showers that can even produce fireballs.
The year ends with the Ursids, whose radiant is located in the constellation Ursa Minor. They come into force on December 17 and last for about 7 days. The Ursids reach their peak on December 20-22. The intensity of this meteor shower is low - a maximum of 10 meteors per hour. However, they move very slowly and appear directly next to the polar star, which creates a very beautiful sight.
The Perseid meteor shower will light up in the sky in August 2016. when the Earth passes through the long trail of debris left behind by Comet Swift-Toothle. This year, this meteor shower will give amateur astronomers an unforgettable spectacle!Experts promise that the intensity of meteors in 2016 will be 2 times higher than their usual frequency. Instead of the usual 80 meteors per hour, they expect 150 and even 200 meteors per hour! This phenomenal increase in the power of the Perseid shower will be the first event of its kind since 2009. This is due to the gravitational influence of Jupiter, which “compacted” the flow of fragments.
The Perseid starfall, as a rule, begins in the third week of July, during this period meteors are shown only a few per hour, and after August 7 the shower begins to intensify and will peak in the pre-dawn hours on Friday, August 12.
At this time, the Moon will be in its first quarter phase, illuminating the sky until midnight, and it will not hurt to see “shooting stars,” since a full-fledged meteor “show” will begin only around midnight and end approximately 3.5 hours later, before the first rays of the rising sun.
As already noted, this year the Perseids are expected to be especially expressive and bright due to the alignment of Jupiter with both the Earth and the Perseid stream. Before crossing Earth's orbit in August, the tiny particles will pass fairly close to the largest planet in our system, Jupiter. If usually one observer manages to see from 60 to 90 meteors per hour, then this time, thanks to the gravitational push from Jupiter, the flow rate could be much higher.
Story
The earliest records of Perseid meteor activity appear in 36 AD in Chinese chronicles. Further, throughout the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th centuries, numerous references were found in both Chinese, Japanese and Korean records.
In Europe, the Perseids were called "Tears of St. Lawrence" because the active period of the meteor shower coincides with the festival of this saint in Italy on August 10th.
And the direct discoverer of this meteor shower is Adolphe Ketel from Brussels (Belgium). In 1835, he reported that meteors appeared from the direction of Perseus every August.
The first observer to count the number of meteors per hour was Edward Hayes. In 1839 he saw a maximum of 160 meteors per hour. Hayes and other observers counted meteors annually, and up to and including 1858, there were between 37 and 88 meteors per hour. In 1861, their number increased sharply - from 78 to 102 meteors per hour, and in 1863 this figure was 109-215 meteors per hour.
The Perseids were the first meteors to be associated with a specific comet. Italian astronomer Virginio Schiaparelle calculated the orbits of several Perseid meteoroids and found that they coincided with the orbit of Comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862 when it passed close to Earth. The comet's orbital period is 135 years, and the last time Swift-Tuttle was close to Earth was in December 1992. This close proximity of the comet caused an increase in Perseid activity - in August 1993, observers in central Europe recorded between 200 and 500 meteors per hour. The comet will next pass through the inner solar system in 2126.
You can read about how to properly observe the Perseids
The Perseid starfall makes wishes come true!
Look up at the night sky and you might see one of the most epic and brightest starfalls in recent years! The “hero” of the occasion is the Perseid meteor shower. Weather permitting, you can watch the starfall every night until August 22, 2016. However, expect the peak from August 12 to 13. Astronomers say that this night the sky will be illuminated by a real shower of stars... it's time to make magic!
Starfall of wishes
What will be your reaction to a falling star? Wish! And for the second? Wish! And on the twelfth? Wish! And on the twenty-second? ... Oh, I would have dried up after the first ten. And why all? Many different wants lead to a big confusion. Just as you “dream” of everything, then you yourself won’t understand what it was. There is neither confidence in the fulfillment of desires, nor an inner feeling that now it will definitely come true. What should I do?
Make one wish! Sit back comfortably and admire the stars. Turn each star into a magical meditation on one dream. For example, a star - “I love and am loved”, another star - “we are so happy together”, another star - “I melt from his kisses”, another star - “we talk about everything in the world!” and so on. Enjoy the dream, immerse yourself in it. And give its embodiment to the falling stars...
By the way, while the Perseid is in the sky, another night you can work your magic again on this or another dream.
Money starfall
Let everything that falls from the sky fall into our hands and... bring money, big and small. Well, it can easily be applied to starfall. Did you see that a star fell? We place our palm and three pockets, saying: “To the money!” Did you see another one? The second pocket was rubbed.
Believe me, money will suddenly materialize in your reality very soon!
Victorious Sandals
Have you read ancient Greek myths? If not, then you’ve definitely heard about Zeus. So Perseus is his son. It seems that astronomers were delighted by the feat of Perseus (he rid the world of Medusa the Gorgon) and they named an entire constellation in his honor. Yes, we are talking about the very constellation Perseus, from which the Perseids are already visible.
Do you know what detail I remember most from his feat? Winged sandals! There, of course, he had another magical arsenal, but if he had not had sandals, he would not have defeated the Gorgon. So maybe this is exactly what we need?
In general, if you need to win at anything (competition, interview, exam, etc.), charge your sandals!
Fortunately, it’s summer, which means there shouldn’t be any problems with sandals. It is very important that they are yours, and old or new, floral or plain - it doesn’t matter.
On any night of the Perseids starfall, tie a thread (rope, lace) to each sandal and hang them by these threads on the same clothesline (beam, branch, etc.) on the balcony (outdoors). And say: “Perseus has won and I win!” Let your sandals absorb this magical winged effect until the morning.
To activate the magic for yourself, be sure to wear and walk around in your “winged” sandals the next day. At the same time, mentally replay your victory in your head for at least a few minutes. For example, you can imagine how you passed an exam or successfully passed an interview. And then boldly go “to battle” (you can “go there” in any other shoes).
Useful information: According to experts, it can take about 30 minutes for human eyes to adjust to darkness. Therefore, if you don’t see anything, then you need time to “calibrate”, that is, look at the sky and wait.
Anastasia Volkova for the site
Published 08/12/16 17:11
Perseids 2016: where, when and how to watch the starfall in Russia, astronomers told.
The colorful meteor shower from the Perseid shower is approaching its peak these days, and, according to experts, this year's meteor shower in August 2016 will be almost twice as strong as usual.
Starfall in August 2016 VIDEO
To observe the Perseid meteor shower this night, Senior Researcher at the Pulkovo Observatory Sergei Smirnov said that to observe the Perseid meteor shower on the night of August 12-13, 2016, it is better to go to an open area outside the city, and the optimal time for observation is from midnight to mid-night nights.
“It’s best to look further from the cities, so all summer residents, all tourists, all travelers find themselves in the most advantageous position. Somewhere in the sea, lake waters, in a forest clearing - these are the best positions. And in the city we see the beauty of urbanization,” - quotes Life expert.
According to the scientist, residents of Moscow, Voronezh and Crimea have more opportunities to see starfall due to longer and darker nights compared to the northern regions. Although the weather in St. Petersburg is now clear, residents of the city will also be able to enjoy the grandiose spectacle.
“The situation has changed due to previous approaches of the meteor ring with large planets. The clot that reaches us at the end of July and throughout August has changed its orientation towards a greater number of particle collisions,” the astronomer said.
