🌠 Perseid Meteor Shower 2021
“I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky.”
John Denver, 1972
One of the most active and visible meteor showers, the Perseid Meteor Shower happens this time each year. It’s named after the Perseids in the Perseus constellation – which is where they appear to fall from in the sky (the ‘radiant’)
They’re actually due to the Earth moving through debris from the comet ‘Swift Tuttle’. This debris burns up as it enters the atmosphere – creating this spectacular show here on terra firma.
The meteoroids travel around 133,200 mph. Most are the size of a grain of sand, but some can be as large as marbles.
🗓️ Active: 17 Jul – 24 Aug
🔥 Peak: 12 – 13 August – up to 100 ☄️ per hour
🔎 Look towards Cassiopeia (“M” or “W” in the sky)
Image below (courtesy of Stellarium) gives some more landmarks to make them quick to find in the night sky.
