Monday, August 12, 2013
Perseid meteors: Skywatchers prepare for shower peak - BBC News
Skygazers are preparing for the high point of the annual Perseid meteors.
The shower, which reaches its peak on Monday, occurs when the Earth passes through a stream of dusty debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle.
As this cometary "grit" strikes the atmosphere, it burns up, creating spectacular streaks of light across the night sky.
The meteors appear to come from a point called a "radiant" in the Constellation Perseus - hence the name Perseid.
The tiny fragments of ice and dust - they range in size from a grain of sand to around as big as a pea - hit the Earth's atmosphere at some 60km/s (134,000 mph). As many as 60-100 streaks an hour may be visible at the height of the display.
Skywatchers are advised to lie on a blanket or a reclining chair to get the best view.
Comet Swift-Tuttle came relatively close to Earth in 1992, which made for an especially dramatic show. Since then, the display has calmed down.
The comet is not due to come so close to the Earth again until the middle of the next decade.
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Source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23673948
