Meteor Shower Perseids to Grace the Night Skies on August 12-13

On the night of August 12th to the 13th, enthusiasts can look forward to observing the peak of a captivating celestial event — the Perseid meteor shower. Experts deem the year 2023 as an opportune period to witness this phenomenon, as reported by ScienceAlert.

Perseids are a diverse stream of meteors, enchanting observers with their brilliance and distinct activity due to their remarkable velocity and balmy summer nights. The most spectacular meteor shower unfolds across the Northern Hemisphere.

This meteoric stream is formed by the entry of dust and fragments into the atmosphere at high velocities. This occurs as Earth crosses the path of Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. "Once the meteoroid collides with air molecules, it only takes a brief moment before the atoms emit light, and that's when you see the luminous trail in the sky," says meteor researcher Denis Vida from Western University in Canada.

During this year's peak meteoric activity, the Moon will be in its waning phase, allowing for the enjoyment of even the faintest meteors. This is a departure from 2022 when the meteor shower coincided with a full moon.

"This year's conditions will be optimal. The waning crescent moon, illuminated by only 8%, will set only in the early morning hours of August 13th and will not interfere with observation," explains Diana Hannikainen, editor-in-chief of Sky & Telescope.

Observing the Perseids requires no special equipment—only clear skies and absence of bright light pollution. Keep in mind that your eyes need approximately 30 minutes to fully adjust to darkness. Opting for a location outside the city and away from smog and light pollution is advisable, with beaches being particularly suitable for observation.

"The main things that could spoil the viewing pleasure are clouds or light pollution," noted Diana Hannikainen.

Additionally, one can experience the magic of the Perseids online through the "Virtual Telescope" initiative. The broadcast of this captivating event is scheduled for August 13th at 04:30 Kyiv time.

The meteoric stream Perseids derives its name from the fact that all meteor tails point to the constellation Perseus in the Northern Hemisphere. During the peak of the meteor shower, when passing through the densest part of the tail, observers in the Northern Hemisphere can anticipate seeing 60 to 70 falling stars per hour if they have found a dark, clear sky for observation.