Star-gazers are in for a treat tonight with clear skies expected to give fantastic views of the spectacular Perseids meteor shower. Experts say that with the moon in its ‘new’ phase and clear skies could mean that tonight is the best year since 2007 to catch the spectacular show. The phenomenon, which happens each summer as the Earth's orbit takes it through debris scattered by the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. As the particles, each no bigger than a grain of sand, hit the atmosphere at 135,000mph they burn up, producing trails of light that shoot across the sky. This year, the Perseid shower will peak at around 11pm, when observers in the countryside may be able to see meteors streaking overhead at a rate of one almost every half a second. (Daily Mail)Thursday 12 August 2010
Perseids meteor shower set to put on most spectacular show in years tonight
Star-gazers are in for a treat tonight with clear skies expected to give fantastic views of the spectacular Perseids meteor shower. Experts say that with the moon in its ‘new’ phase and clear skies could mean that tonight is the best year since 2007 to catch the spectacular show. The phenomenon, which happens each summer as the Earth's orbit takes it through debris scattered by the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. As the particles, each no bigger than a grain of sand, hit the atmosphere at 135,000mph they burn up, producing trails of light that shoot across the sky. This year, the Perseid shower will peak at around 11pm, when observers in the countryside may be able to see meteors streaking overhead at a rate of one almost every half a second. (Daily Mail)