Tonight (August 12) astronomy lovers in Milton Keynes will get to enjoy a spectacular celestial event as the Perseid meteor shower peaks.
As comets approach the Sun, they heat up and pieces break off. The debris has the potential to strike our atmosphere at velocities of 7-45 miles per second if it finds its way into the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The combined speed of the Earth and debris itself determines the actual speed at which a meteor hits our atmosphere.
A Perseid meteor travels at an average speed of 36 miles per second. The meteor then crushes and heats the air in front of it to hundreds of degrees Celsius. The smaller meteors disappear, leaving a brilliant trail of light in their wake. A larger meteor may also burst into a fireball.
The Perseids runs through the entire month of August when the planet goes through a dust lane made from a comet. Tonight, August 12, will be a great night for Astronomy lovers across Milton Keynes to watch the night sky.
The next few nights are predicted to host the most meteors in a single night. It’s advised that the best time to view it will be after 11pm once the sky grows dark and the constellations rise higher in the sky.
This year’s meteor shower is expected to be especially good as the Moon will be out of the way right before the meteor appears. This is set to happen at approximately 10:45pm.
For residents who want to witness these pieces of comet dust racing across the skies, the next few nights would be the best time to do so.
Viewers are advised to give themselves 15 to 20 minutes for their eyes to adjust to the darkness before enjoying the show for the best sighting.
