The Perseid meteor shower: what it is and where it can be seen in new York

Whatever the world, it will still be the most mysterious and mystical phenomena, captured the hearts of the ancestors for many hundreds of years ago. Recently most of the world was able to witness the longest lunar Eclipse in the XXI century, and now the sky sent a new symbol, its full of life’s great mysteries – the Perseid meteor shower. And if the longest lunar Eclipse in the U.S. was not visible, but this time we were lucky. Almost any part of the country illuminate the night dozens of bright shooting stars. Of course, we do not experience superstitious terror at the sight of the sky tearing bright red strips, but it is also interesting to touch the greatest mystery of the universe.

The Perseid meteor shower: what it is and where it can be seen in new York

According to the expert on meteors from NASA’s bill cook, the Perseid meteor shower, considered the most popular. And the reason is his extraordinary entertainment, attracting the attention of not only those interested in the astrology of people, but also ordinary citizens. For example, in this year of 2018, in time of greatest activity, we will see at least 60-70 falling meteors per hour. That is a lot, but still – not the limit. In 2016, the intensity reached up to 150-200 meteors per hour, which caused some concern. Despite the relatively high intensity of the Perseids, scientists believe, that the fear of the storm level of the falling meteors (up to 1000 per hour) is not worth it. The maximum intensity was observed in 1993 (more than 300 meteors per hour). The Perseid meteor shower has already begun with the arrival of August, but the peak it is expected in the night from 11 to 12 August and from 12 to 13 August, with the most spectacular promises to be just last night.

But why do scientists believe that this year the Perseid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular? All business again in the moon. In 2018 the peak of the meteor shower falls on the new, growing moon. The sky is very starry and bright, as if someone had specifically highlighted it. If you want to make a wish while a star is falling, try not to oversleep, because the main show starts after midnight. Fans can watch the stars also, Mars will be seen (4am local time) and Saturn (2 am local time). Venus and Jupiter on the contrary, there in front of Starfall, beginning at 9:30 pm and 11 pm respectively.

What causes a meteor shower?

What we see in the sky in August – only the consequences of global processes in Space. But what led to the shooting stars? Celebrant can be called comet Swift-Tuttle is the largest known space object, periodically passing near our planet. The radius of its nucleus is about 16 miles (26 km). The last time he was near the Earth in 1992, and the next time will be in 2126. However, the consequences of the invasion will be visible for a long time. The Perseid meteor shower – nothing like a cloud of star dust left in the path of a comet. Every year the earth passes through this cloud of space dust, which allows us to observe the falling stars.

What can be seen during a meteor shower? Actually, of course none of the stars from the sky is not falling. Part of the fragments of the comet are heated by passing through the atmosphere and burn up, emitting a bright light and leaving fiery streaks in the sky. The speed of the falling debris is 37 miles (59 km) per second, so it is not surprising that they burn in a few seconds.

Fans of films about Clark Kentbetter known as Superman, will be a slight disappointment. This time we are unlikely to reach the meteorites from other planets. The fact that most of the meteors in the Perseids is too small for this, they are just the size of a grain of sand.

You need to see a meteor shower?

Meteors will fall between the constellations Perseus and Cassiopeia, but really they should be seen everywhere. The most important thing that you need to do in order to fully enjoy the spectacle is to find the right place. It is desirable that it was with no additional artificial light sources, like billboards and city lights. So, if you have the opportunity to travel to the suburbs do it. Don’t be alarmed if you can’t immediately see a meteor shower. Your eyes will need at least an hour to get used to the darkness. As soon as the eyesight adjusts, you will begin to notice bright red streaks and spots in the sky. This is the Perseid meteor shower. If this year expected the intensity drop is 60-70 meteors per hour, so you will be able to see them every minute.

If you are serious, you can use meteor shower as a reason to organize a trip on a picnic out of town with overnight stay in tents. Of course, this way you will ensure yourself not just watching the stars, and a romantic weekend. Don’t forget to bring comfy chairs, blankets and bug spray.

Where you can watch a meteor shower in new York?

Even if you are not able to go far beyond new York city to watch the stars, you will still be able to do this either in the city or in the hour-another drive from Manhattan. Go to Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, and Carl Schurz Park in the Upper East side is probably the most popular places for lovers of astronomy. If you have a car and you are not tied to public transport – you will have even more options. You can go to Jamaica Bay on the island of Ruffle Bar, which Is located just an hour drive from downtown, or Cedar Point County Park on long island (2 hours drive from new York city), or to visit the campground North-South Lake Campground (2.5 hours drive).

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