The Perseids meteor shower is the astronomical picture of the day

The most prominent picture NASA This Wednesday (9) on the site today’s picture to remember meteor shower From the Perseids 2018. In the new image, meteors appear bright in the sky near the dome of the Kolonica Observatory in Slovakia.

This meteor shower occurs annually, and is caused by fragments of rock and ice left behind comet Swift Tuttle. This year, the peak of the phenomenon should occur between August 11th and 12th, when our planet passes through a region of the densest shrapnel.

Meteors from this shower often travel at over 214,000 km/h as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere. During displacement, they compress and heat the gases they find in front of them, reaching a temperature of 1650 degrees Celsius.

Most of them are so small that they can be compared to a grain of sand, and only a few reach the ground. If any of the fragments reach the surface, it is called a meteorite.

What is a meteorite?

As comets approach the Sun along their orbits around the star, some of their structure melts, releasing dust and rock particles. This debris is scattered along the comet’s path, and as it passes Earth, the fragments create meteor showers.

Precipitation is named according to constellation Where do they come from. In the case of the Perseids, for example, the meteors appear to be rising in the direction of the constellation of Perseus, Perseus. This is the best shower to observe in the Northern Hemisphere, but it’s also possible to catch a meteor shining in the Southern Hemisphere sky.

To accompany this rain, you just need to go somewhere dark and away from the light pollution of big cities. Then, just look for the rain ray in the direction of the constellation Perseus around 5 AM.

source: APOD

Trending on Canaltech: