One of the brightest and fastest meteor showers of the year, the Perseid promises spectacular streaks of light, making this a must-see event for astronomy enthusiasts and casual stargazers alike. The phenomenon has been going on throughout July, and will continue through to August 24, but the night of Tuesday 12 August, into the monring of Wednesday 13th August, the Perseid meteor shower will be at its peak – so if you can catch it any time, now would be it.
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through streams of cosmic dust and debris, often left behind by comets or asteroids. In this case, the Perseid meteor shower happens as our planet moves through the debris trail of Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
As tiny particles, roughly the size of grains of sand, enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, they burn up and create the glowing streaks of light we call meteors or “shooting stars.” The Perseids are known for their brilliance and speed – they appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, known as the “radiant” point in the night sky.
The peak of the Perseid meteor shower is set to be tonight (August 12th) through to tomorrow morning (August 13th), however, a full moon on Saturday (9th August) may have washed out many of the fainter meteors, slightly dulling the show around the peak – given the moon is only just waning.
Stargazers are advised to check local conditions using resources like the BBC Weather app or website and be ready to seize clear nights when they come – although since we’re in for a heat wave this week, hopefully the skies will be clear enough.
How to see the peak of the Perseid meteor shower in Greater Manchester
You can spot the Perseid meteor shower over Greater Manchester sometime between midnight and dawn, looking for the characteristic streaks it makes across the northern sky. Find the Perseus constellation if you can, and stay away from screens for around 20-30 minutes before looking at the sky – letting your eyes adjust to the darkness so you can see the meteor shower in its full glory.
