August is a key month for meteor enthusiasts with one of the most famous showers, the Perseids, expected to peak in the coming days. While the best time to look to the skies will occur after nightfall on Sunday, Aug. 11 and into the early morning of Monday, Aug. 12, you may already be able to catch a few meteors if you know where to look.
Western physics and astronomy professor Peter Brown, Canada Research Chair in planetary small bodies, also leads the Western Meteor Physics Group. He spoke with Western News to offer tips on how best to view the meteors and explain why it’s important to study them.
Western News: What are the Perseids?
Peter Brown: The Perseids are a meteor shower lasting from late July to mid-August, caused by the Earth passing through the debris left by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The meteors are produced when particles of about 1mm in size enter Earth’s atmosphere at 60 km/s and burn up due to collisions with molecules.
In addition to the Perseids, another meteor shower that can be observed in August is the Southern Delta Aquariids. It is less intense than the Perseids but can still provide some meteor activity, especially in the early part of the month.
How can people see the Perseids?
PB: The Perseids are best viewed from mid-northern latitudes. To view the Perseids, find a dark location away from city lights and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness. This year, the best time to observe is well after midnight, when the first quarter moon has set, and the sky is darkest. The point in the sky from which the meteors appear to radiate is highest just before dawn.
The highest activity this year will occur overnight on Sunday, Aug. 11 through to the early morning hours of Monday, Aug. 12. This is the absolute best time to watch the shower. No special equipment is needed, just look up and be patient. There is no best direction to watch, as the meteors will occur throughout the visible sky, though tilting your head to an altitude of 45 degrees and facing the darkest direction is a good game plan.
What can people expect to see?
PB: During the peak of the Perseids, you can expect to see upwards of dozens of meteors per hour, but the actual number depends on how dark it is and how close to dawn you observe. The Perseids first become visible around 10 p.m. when the radiant (the point in the sky where the meteors appear to emanate) just rises above the northeastern horizon. In this time window, Perseids will enter the atmosphere at shallow angles, so observers will be treated to many long meteors streaking over a large portion of the night sky. The Perseids are also well known for bright meteors. It would not be unusual to see a few meteors as bright or brighter than the planet Venus on the night of the peak.
Why is it important to track meteors?
PB: Meteoroids are debris from the most primitive solar system bodies, namely comets and asteroids, so their study provides insight into the formation of the solar system. Meteoroid streams also provide a record of the past activity of comets and helps define their evolution over time.
Are meteor showers dangerous?
PB: Meteor showers are not dangerous for people on the ground. All the particles completely burn up high in the atmosphere and do not survive to reach the ground. However, Perseid meteoroids can impact spacecraft and increase the risk to spacecraft by a few tenths of a per cent over the general meteoroid background impact level.
What is the Global Meteor Network?
PB: The Global Meteor Network is an international project based at Western that monitors and records meteors using a network of cameras deployed in over 40 countries around the world. Its goals are to provide near real time measurements of meteor shower activity, gather data on meteor shower activity and improve our understanding of meteor showers and their characteristics as well as record meteorite producing fireballs. Details can be found at https://globalmeteornetwork.org/
