Perseid meteor shower

News & Press: Natural world

09 August 2021 (0 Comments)

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The shower reaches its peak on the night of 12-13 August in the UK and Europe.

There could be up to 50 meteors per hour at the peak, travelling at typically 60 km/sec and burning out at heights above 80 km.

The Perseids come from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which last passed near the Earth in 1992. The radiant, from which the meteors appear to originate, is in the constellation of Perseus, low in the sky to the NE for much of the night.

The best time to see the meteors is around 0300 BST, but they should be visible all night, helped by a new moon not interfering. They should also be visible for a handful of nights either side of the peak.

Further details from the Royal Astronomical Society