Shower of Perseids, but weak – Observer

Every year in mid-August, an astronomical phenomenon known as “ shower of Perseids ” occurs. This meteor shower results from dust and rock left by the passage of comet Swift-Tuttle – that repeats every 133 years. Each time the Earth passes through the trail left by giant comet can be seen with the naked eye hundreds of shooting stars. It’s called “rain Perseids” because that is the constellation in the background with each pass of the Earth for this track Dust.

In the best years, it is possible to observe meteorite 100 per hour, a clear sky and no light pollution (ambient light generated by public lighting); The more luminous observation point is, the smaller the total amount of displays. The prime locations are the innermost, high and remote areas. In the cities you can only see the brightest objects, a result of atmospheric entry of larger particles. They are usually the size of sand grains, and almost never larger than a marble. There are few that reach the ground, and because they are small particles enter the earth at 60 kilometers per second atmosphere, destroying itself quickly.

The comet Swift-Tuttle is a rock with almost 10 kilometers in diameter and have the same size as the meteor that has caused the extinction of dinosaurs. Already predicted that in the future, this comet would collide with Earth, but later calculations determined that will just make a “raid” our planet in 3044.

The last observation far, not visible to the eye naked, was in 1992, but the most spectacular was the year of its “discovery” by American astronomers Lewis Swift Horace Tuttle in 1862 . the next pass will be in 2126 , and it is expected to be an extraordinary occurrence like Hale-Bopp in 1997

How reminds us of the Astronomical Observatory of Lisbon, this year we have bad luck: coincidence with the “Super Moon” will hinder the observation of the phenomenon. Still, the best time to see the shower of Perseids is the end of the night, just before dawn, at that time the brightness of the moon will already be less intense. So enjoy the balmy August dawn and get up early, because right after another magnificent event occurs:. “Born” of the Sun