The Perseid Meteor Shower Image Credit :- Astronomy Picture of the Day
The Perseids are one of the most prolific and best-known of the meteor showers and the Perseid Meteor Shower can be seen in late July and through August each year, with the maximum Perseid meteor activity on or around 11/12/13 August. 2016 could see an outburst of meteors of approximately 200 per hour! (more…)
Artists Illustration of perseid Meteors Credit: Meteorwatch
The Perseid meteorwatch 2013 starts on Saturday 10th and runs each evening until Monday 12th of August 2013 @VirtualAstro with the help of many more people, will be holding a Twitter #Meteorwatch for the Perseid Meteor Shower.
Everyone is welcome to join in, whether they are an astronomer, have a slight interest in the night sky or have a passing interest and just wonder?
The Perseids are the highlight of the astronomical calendar and a must see! They are ideal for those who want to see a meteor/ shooting star for the first time.
Long Exposure photo of a visible ISS pass Credit: Mark Humpage
The International Space Station (ISS) is back over UK skies with some great passes during August 2013. There is a special bonus this time as the passes take place during the Perseid Meteor Shower – you may see shooting stars too!
The ISS is the largest Space Station/ laboratory ever built orbiting the Earth, it can be spotted with the naked eye at certain times as it orbits the planet at 17500mph at an altitude of roughly 200 miles.
Spotting the station is very easy and you don’t need any special equipment, only your eyes. (more…)
Doubtless you’ve heard astronomers and meteor shower observers kick around terms such as “bolide,” “sporadic” and “Zenithal Hourly Rate” when it comes to showers like this weekend’s Perseids. Like any field of endeavor, these terms and phrases and help to describe what we see (or expect to see) and aren’t just designed to make us unpopular at cocktail parties. Here’s a quick rundown on terms that should be in your meteor watcher’s lexicon; use em’ to impress (or annoy) your friends while you watch for this weekend’s Perseids; (more…)
Image Credit :- Astronomy Picture of the Day
The Perseids are one of the most prolific and best-known of the meteor showers and can be seen in late July and through August each year, with the maximum activity on or around 12/13 August. One advantage of the Perseids shower is that it happens in the warmer weather of Summer, which makes it ideal for anyone interested in seeing their first meteor. You can see a meteor at any time of year but, for a day or so around the date of maximum, there may be a ten times better chance of seeing one. (more…)
