Discover the best day to observe one of the best-known meteor showers of the summer
In summer, several special astronomical phenomena take place, such as the Deer Supermoon. This August is the turn of one of the best-known meteor showers, the Perseids. This is one of the great astronomical shows of the year. This shower of meteors or shooting stars is repeated every August and receives the popular name of ‘Tears of San Lorenzo’ due to the proximity of this phenomenon to August 10, the day of this festivity.
The Perseid Meteor Shower is one of the great astronomical spectacles of the year. This phenomenon happens when the Earth is in an area of its orbit where it comes into contact with a large accumulation of fragments of comets and asteroids. Upon entering the atmosphere these elements fall, producing the characteristic light of a shooting star. For this reason, it is also known as a meteor shower, because they are meteorites disintegrating when they come into contact with the atmosphere.
When can you see the Perseids?
The Perseids are one of the great events of the year and one of the best known meteor showers. Its great activity and atmospheric conditions make it the most popular meteor shower, since it is the most easily observable of those that occur throughout the year.
This 2022 the tears of San Lorenzo can be seen from July 14 and will last in the sky until August 24. But they will not always be able to look the same. This shower of stars will have a period of maximum activity in August, where shooting stars can be seen much better.
This year the Perseids will experience increased activity during the weekend of August 11-13. According to NASA, the best time to see the Perseids in the northern hemisphere is during the hours before dawn, although they can also be seen at dusk, starting at 10 p.m. Although it is not necessary that you wake up at a specific time to see them, since the shower of stars can be seen at any time of the night. Therefore, take advantage of the fact that it coincides with the weekend and enjoy this show that the sky offers.
Origin of the Perseids
The Perseids are believed to come from the constellation Perseus, hence their name, and can be seen anywhere in the sky. According to the Astronomy Department of the National Geographic Institute (IGN), the meteor shower seems to have a single center of origin, that is, a point from which all shooting stars emerge. That point is called the ‘radiant’ and its location is used to name the meteor shower. For this reason, the Perseids have their radiant in the constellation Perseus.
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