Perseid Meteor Shower: Peak dates to spot the stunning celestial event

The year 2020 is filled with many celestial events, which can be witnessed in the night sky if observed carefully. One of the celestial events to take place is the Perseid meteor shower, which can be seen every year between July and August. The concerned meteor shower occurs when the debris of the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle enters Earth's atmosphere each year from mid-July. The meteors are called the Perseids because it appears to hail from the point which lies in the constellation Perseus, which derived its name from Greek mythology. 

Read: Earth's cooling Around 13,000 Years Ago Caused By Volcanic Eruptions And Not Meteors

Date of peak

According to experts, this year the peak of the shower activity will take place between August 12 and the dawn of August 13. During the peak, the rate of meteors is reported to reach a maximum of 100 per hour, at which point many bright fast meteors can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere under perfect conditions. It is advisable to check for weather conditions beforehand and look for an open sky where is there is no obstruction of any kind, be it artificial, such as buildings, light, etc, or natural, such as trees and moon.

Read: Humongous Meteors & Asteroids Hit Earth & Moon System 800 Million Years Ago

Why Perseid meteor shower?

The meteor shower occurs when a comet reaches too close to the sun and explodes because of the high temperature. The shower is then visible from Earth when it crosses its path or enters the atmosphere at a particular speed. The Perseid meteor shower is considered one of the best celestial activities to watch every year as it has a high hourly rate plus there is also a chance of seeing fireballs, very bright meteors. 

Read: Meteor Shower Tonight: What Time And Where To Watch The Meteor Shower?

Read: Green Fireball Over Australia Shocks People, Astronormers Say It Might Be A Meteor