{"id":30419,"date":"2023-07-17T19:00:04","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T17:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=148293"},"modified":"2023-07-17T19:38:31","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T17:38:31","slug":"perseid-meteor-shower-2023-tonight-how-to-see-spectacular-shooting-stars","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/perseid-meteor-shower-2023-tonight-how-to-see-spectacular-shooting-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"Perseid meteor shower 2023 tonight: How to see spectacular shooting stars"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Perseid meteor shower begins tonight, and unlike last year, viewing conditions are set to be excellent. It\u2019s one of the best meteor showers of the year: here\u2019s how and when to watch <\/p>

By Holly Spanner\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 17 July 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

A full Moon<\/a> last year drowned out the peak of the Perseids, but this year the annual meteor shower will be brighter and more exciting. That is, if the clouds hold. It\u2019s one of the most active showers of the year, and with a nice long period of activity there\u2019s even a chance we might spot a fireball.<\/p>\n

If the Perseids have whetted your appetite for meteor-spotting, there\u2019s a string of showers just around the corner, starting with the Orionids in October. Find out all the details in our meteor shower calendar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When is the Perseid meteor shower in 2023?<\/h2>\n

The Perseid meteor shower in 2023 starts on 17 July and will remain visible until 24 August.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt shows activity from mid-July through to the last week in August,\u201d says veteran astronomer and The Sky at Night<\/em> presenter, Pete Lawrence.<\/p>\n

Peaking around the 12\/13 August, there should be a decent helping of meteors continuing until the early hours of 14 August. The number of meteors visible will drop off after that, although we may still catch a glimpse of a few as we approach the tail end of the dust field.<\/p>\n

When is the best date to see the Perseids?<\/h2>\n

Clouds permitting, the night of the 12\/13 and 13\/14 August will yield the most meteors.<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch of this time [between 17 July and 24 August] the meteor rate is low, but between 10-16 August, rates are notably higher. The number of meteors seen per hour through this period, reaching a sharp peak in the early hours of 13 August,\u201d Lawrence explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn all-night watch on 12\/13 and 13\/14 August should give excellent rewards.\u201d<\/p>\n

At its peak, we may reach as high as 100 meteors per hour<\/a>, although it\u2019s always best to take these estimates with a pinch of salt. Grab a recliner, some snacks and a clicker, and make a night of it!<\/p>\n

\""Perseid\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A man watches the Perseid meteor shower on the Pamir Plateau on 13 August, 2021 in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. (Photo by VCG\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Where to look<\/h2>\n

As the name suggests, the radiant for the Perseids lies in the northern part of the constellation Perseus, next to Andromeda. As the Perseids are fast, they may leave persistent trains in the sky, and with any luck we may even be treated to a fireball.<\/p>\n

The constellation Perseus is in the north-eastern sky and sits nestled between the distinctive \u2018W\u2019 of the constellation Cassiopeia above, and everyone favourite, the Pleiades<\/a>, just below.<\/p>\n

The brightest star in Perseus is Mirfak, a yellow supergiant star in the middle of the constellation. The variable blue-white star Algol forms a line with Mirfak, which help to identify where the centre is.<\/p>\n

The radiant will move higher as morning approaches. For best views, try to take in as much of the sky as possible in your line of vision<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re struggling to find this point in the night sky, using an app may help (check our best astronomy apps<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Although the radiant is where the shooting stars appear to originate, they will be visible over the whole sky. So, look up \u2013 and try to take in as much of the sky in your vision as possible.<\/p>\n

How to maximise your chances of spotting a Perseid<\/h2>\n

This year conditions are favourable, but why is early morning the best time for meteor spotting? Pete explains:<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral factors affect the quality of a display. Sky clarity is one, and this is on light pollution, weather, and the Moon. The Moon won\u2019t interfere much this year, so if the weather looks good it\u2019s worth planning a trip somewhere dark if you have light-polluted skies,\u201d Lawrence says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother factor is radiant altitude. A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through the fine dust spread around a comet\u2019s orbit, in this case 109P\/Swift-Tuttle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe typically sand-grain-sized particles (meteoroids) are in parallel orbits around the Sun<\/a>. As they enter our atmosphere, perspective makes it look as if they emerge from the same area of sky; the shower radiant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the radiant is low, the number of meteors seen will also be low. The Perseid radiant climbs to its highest altitude, approaching your zenith, as dawn begins around 3:20am BST from the centre of the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n

And thanks to the Earth\u2019s rotation, we start to look forward at the meteors as we enter into the early hours of the morning, which essentially means we get a better view:<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter local midnight, the Earth turns to encounter meteoroids head-on. This increases the impact energy with more and brighter trails being seen. Local midnight occurs at 1am BST (midnight GMT),\u201d Lawrence says.<\/p>\n

Is there anything else I can see?<\/h2>\n

On the night of the 12\/13 and 13\/14 August, a bright Saturn (magnitude 0.49) will start to peep over the horizon just after sunset, while Jupiter will follow shortly after. Jupiter will be sitting pretty with a bright magnitude of -2.33, so it will be easy to spot if you look towards the East.<\/p>\n

What causes the Perseid meteor shower?<\/h2>\n

The Perseid meteor shower occurs \u2013 like most meteor showers \u2013 when Earth\u2019s orbit passes through the trail of dust left by a comet, in this case Comet Swift-Tuttle (109P\/Swift\/Tuttle)<\/a>. When the shower reaches its peak, that\u2019s when we\u2019re passing through the densest part of the dust stream.<\/p>\n

Without the interfering light from the full Moon, this can mean we see hundreds of bright trails in the sky. They appear to radiate from the direction of the constellation Perseus; the \u2018radiant\u2019.<\/p>\n

Comet Swift-Tuttle is a snowball comet made of dust, ice and rock. It\u2019s a large comet, more than twice the size of the asteroid that brought around the end of the dinosaurs and has a nucleus 26km (16 miles) in diameter.<\/p>\n

It takes 133 years to orbit the Sun, which classifies it as a short-period comet (anything with an orbit under 200 years is a \u2018short-period\u2019 comet). Its official designation is 109P\/Swift-Tuttle.<\/p>\n

The \u2018P\u2019 in the name indicates that it is a periodic comet, one which has been observed more than once returning to the perihelion, the point in its orbit closest to the Sun.<\/p>\n

Comet Swift-Tuttle was last visible to us in 1992 but won\u2019t pass our way again until 2125.<\/p>\n

Viewing tips<\/h2>\n

You don\u2019t need binoculars or a telescope to watch a meteor shower. To maximise your chances of spotting meteors \u2013 and get as wide a field of view as possible \u2013 your eyes are the perfect instrument. Shooting stars will streak across the sky, and although we know where the radiant is, we can\u2019t predict precisely where they will appear.<\/p>\n

Binoculars and telescopes have a much narrower field of view, so it\u2019s more likely you\u2019ll miss all the goodies if you opt for gadgetry.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo enjoy this wonderful shower, find a dark location away from stray lights. Give yourself at least 20 minutes in darkness to dark adapt and make yourself comfortable, say using a recliner\u201d, says Lawrence.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook up at a height roughly two-thirds up the sky (an altitude of 60 degrees) in any direction and wait. If you can\u2019t decide on a direction, south and southeast have some interesting constellations to look at during meteor lull periods.\u201d<\/p>\n

About our expert, Pete Lawrence<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Pete Lawrence is an experienced astronomer, astrophotographer, and presenter on BBC\u2019s\u00a0The Sky at Night<\/em>. Watch him on BBC Four or catch up on demand with BBC iPlayer.<\/p>\n

Read more about meteors:<\/strong><\/p>\n