One of the most stunning events in the stargazer’s calendar peaks on the night of August 12-13, when the Earth passes through the densest, dustiest path of Comet Swift-Tuttle
Where to see them?
Radiant centre of Perseids
Frequency: 80-100 meteors / hour
Entry velocity: 59km/s
Presence of moon – which will be three-quarters full and will rise on predawn hours – will make it more difficult to see meteors
Cause of Perseids
Perseid cloud: 1,000-year-old stream of debris trailing behind Comet Swift-Tuttle
Comet orbit: 133 years
2017: Earth passes through path of comet from Jul 17 to Aug 24
How to see them?
Sit outside in dark area, in suburbs or countryside. It takes about 30 minutes for eyes to adjust to dark – the longer you wait, the more you’ll see
The name Perseids derives from Perseides – descendants of legendary Greek hero Perseus (Northern Hemisphere)
Sources: EarthSky.org, Star Walk 2 iOS app, NASA, wire agencies
