Finally the most anticipated meteor shower of the year comes: the Perseids. This rain of stars , also called “tears of St. Lawrence” (by the proximity of the event with the festival of San Lorenzo is celebrated on August 10), it will be particularly interesting this summer, because although the usual forecasts exposed 100 meteors per hour, this year astronomers predict an average of 500 meteors per hour. This surprising figure will make the best Perseid meteor shower 2016: the astronomical event of the summer.
The Perseid meteors, which come from Comet Swift Tuttle, each 133 full years a journey through the inner solar system , leaving a trail of dust and sand, the particles collide with our atmosphere byincreasing its temperature to 5,000 degrees in a fraction of second, they have their peak on the night of 11 to 12 August, when the bright flashes of light in which meteoroids turn, will cross the sky at a speed of between 56 and 72 km / s.
If we’re lucky and collide particles the size of a pea or larger, will produce stars much brighter shooting, also known as fireballs. Fortunately, the moon will not be an obstacle as it will be in growing phase.
As usual in these astronomical events you need not be equipped with any specialist to observe the Perseids rain instrument but can be displayed directly without intermediaries. Of course, as always, itis advisable to stay away as possible from the light pollution of cities and find a quiet, dark place where all the visible sky .
In addition, scientists from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (Spain) use the moment to launch a probe into the stratosphere to record for the first time in color and high definition, this rain of stars from an enclave in which no atmospheric absorption, for what may “make similar observations which can be made from space but with a much lower cost , ” says Alejandro Sánchez, researcher at the IAA.
The Perseids will be visible in the sky until Wednesday 24 August.
