27-07-09 Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks August 12th,2009Meteor showers occur when Earth moves through a meteor stream.Every year in August,the Earth passes through rock and dust fragments left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle,last time it came near the Sun.As these small particles collide with the Earth’s atmosphere,they burn-up,often creating a startling streak of light across the sky.You can easily observe this and it can be a wonderous spectacle.Most of the dust in the cloud today is approximately a thousand years old.During the peak - best time to view - the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour! Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere,from late night on Tuesday August 11,till dawn on Wednesday August 12.Peak is expected on August 12th at around 15.00 hours |
