Perseid meteor shower: 'Perfect viewing conditions' in store as spectacular event to light up Irish skies
One of the most spectacular celestial displays of the year is expected to occur over the coming days, with some favourable weather meaning we have "perfect viewing conditions" to witness the event
The Perseid meteor shower, a stunning celestial display, is set to peak next week, lighting up Ireland's skies with shooting stars.
The Perseids is the best meteor shower of the year with up to 20 times more 'shooting stars' than a normal night.
And Irish astrology fans are in for a treat as this year the Moon is out of the way making for "perfect viewing conditions" on the night of Monday, August 12, when maximum activity will be seen.
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The best time to view the spectacular display is from about 10pm when the sky gets dark and you can watch as long as you like, until dawn the next morning if you want to make a night of it.
The Perseids, which peak during mid-August, are considered the best meteor shower of the year because it produces bright meteors and is one of the most active.
The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers (50-100 meteors seen per hour) and occur with warm summer nighttime weather, allowing sky watchers to easily view them.
The dazzling display is caused by debris left behind by comet Swift–Tuttle slamming into the Earth. These fragments enter Earth's atmosphere at speeds as great as 130,000 mph (209,000 kph), about 85 times the top speed of a jet fighter.
The air in front of the meteor is squashed and heated to thousands of degrees Celsius. The smaller meteors vaporise and leave behind a bright trail of light.
It is called the Perseids because the meteors seem to originate from the constellation of Perseus, which is itself named after the Greek mythological hero of the same name.
On average, you can expect to see about 100 meteors per hour — maybe even more — all visible with the naked eye.
The peak of the Perseid meteor shower is expected to be on the night of Monday, August 12 into the early hours of Tuesday.
Perseids can appear anywhere in the sky so if there are any clouds around just look in the clear patches. The path of all Perseids should point back to constellation Perseus (near the W of Cassiopeia) which is high in the northeast.
The Perseid shower will reach its peak activity with 20 times more shooting stars than a normal night. So those with dark rural skies may see one or more per minute instead of one every 10 minutes that you see on a normal night.
It is one of the highlights of the year for stargazers and will be visible Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night - though the best night to view it will be Monday.
Astronomy Ireland magazine wants everyone in Ireland to count how many Perseid meteors they see, every 15 minutes, and send those counts in for a special report that will appear in the next issue of Astronomy Ireland magazine.
They are urging members of the public to go out on Monday night especially and count how many Perseids they can spot with the naked eye.
"Anyone can get involved, from young to old, and no experience is necessary" said David Moore, Editor of Astronomy Ireland Magazine.
"Just wrap up well, grab a pencil and paper and count with the whole family. Such counts are fun but also have great scientific value as this tells us how these meteor showers are developing over the years."
More details are on the society's website, but all you need do is to count how many you see every 15 minutes and send them to the address given on the website.
How to watch the Perseid meteor shower
You don’t need a telescope or any special equipment to view the Perseid meteor shower and the best way to catch the meteor shower is to reduce the amount of light pollution in your field of view.
This could mean heading out to the countryside, a nearby park or even do something as simple as turning your back to street lamps if you are not able to go anywhere.
When you find the perfect spot, give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the dark so that you can catch more of the fainter meteors.
Give yourself at least an hour of observing time, because the meteors in meteor showers come in spurts and are interspersed with lulls.
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