How to watch the Perseid meteor shower

The second week in August heralds the best time to view the annual Perseid meteor shower – shooting stars spawned by a comet


Aug 11-13, 2021: Earth enters densest part of comet’s stream of dust particles – peak time to view is early morning when there is no moonlight to spoil display


Perseid cloud: 1,000-year-old stream of debris trailing behind Comet Swift-Tuttle

Comet orbit: 133 years

Sun 
Earth

Jul 17-Aug 24, 2021: Earth passes through comet’s tail


Meteors’ radiant centre 
Frequency: 60 meteors per hour 
Average entry velocity: 58km/s

HOW TO SEE THEM
Best seen in dark, open sky, looking northeast towards constellation of Perseus, where Perseids appear to radiate from (allow 30 minutes for eyes to fully adjust to darkness)

AURIGA
PERSEUS
ANDROMEDA
TRIANGULUM
ARIES
URANUS* 
PLEIADES
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

*Planet


Sources: EarthSky, Astronomy, Star Walk 2 iPad app
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