Online viewing of the magnificent Perseid meteor shower
The Earth is entering the dust trail left by the Swift-Tuttle comet, which is the origin point of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Although the Perseid meteor shower will not reach its peak until August 11-12, the spectacle has already begun.
On July 26, Bryan Emfinger from Arkansas, USA, captured one of the "vanguard" meteors from this meteor stream just after midnight:
China
"I captured this fireball and its smoking trail using a regular digital camera," Emfinger said, "It was so bright!"
However, Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office reminded everyone not to get too excited yet. "We have just entered the outer edge of this dust trail. If you look up at the night sky tonight, you might only see a few Perseid meteors per hour," he said.
However, everything will be different in August.
The Earth will pass through the densest part of the dust trail at some point on August 12, allowing you to see dozens of meteors per hour.
The best way to enjoy the meteor shower is to lay down a blanket on flat ground (Note: laying the blanket on the road is definitely not a good idea), then lie down and look up at the sky. The Perseid meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, but if you trace their paths backward, they all converge at a point in the constellation Perseus (the radiant). If possible, try to avoid city lights.
However, there will be some bright light you cannot avoid on August 12. A 55% waxing gibbous moon will be located in the constellation Aries, near Perseus. The moon is beautiful, but don't stare at it. Bright moonlight can ruin your night vision, making it difficult for you to see the fainter meteors in the sky.
[Image Caption]: The northeastern sky before and after midnight on August 11-12. The red dot indicates the radiant of the Perseid meteor shower.
However, the effect of the moon is not that significant. Between 9-11 PM on August 11, both the moon and Perseus will be low in the northeastern sky. This position reduces the interference from the moon while providing an ideal location for observing earthgrazer meteors.
"Earthgrazer meteors are meteors that come from near the horizon and skim across the observer's overhead atmosphere," Cooke explained, "They have long trails, move slowly, and display vibrant colors, making them the brightest." He reminded that you might only encounter one earthgrazer meteor every hour, but even one is worth it.
Enjoy the upcoming Perseid meteor shower.
Download address for Perseid meteor shower timing: http://www.dvd1990.com/zyp/1793/