Updated Aug 13 - Cloudy conditions on both 11th and 12th night in Margao, put paid to my Perseid viewing hopes! Not a single Perseid even this year!
This year's Monsoon break in August, presents a great opportunity for observing the famed annual Meteor Showers named as 'Perseids' from Goa on the nights of August 11 and August 12, from around 11 pm to the break of down.
This year's Monsoon break in August, presents a great opportunity for observing the famed annual Meteor Showers named as 'Perseids' from Goa on the nights of August 11 and August 12, from around 11 pm to the break of down.
The rains are expected to be hardly 10 - 15 mm per 24 hr period for these two days and the skies are not expected to be heavily overcast. The clouds rolling by in the night skies do provide windows of cloudless patches, through which one can see the stars, planets Venus - till 8.30 pm in the west - and planet Saturn - till midnight in the south west. The moon is waxing and sets before 10.30 pm on both the nights.
The Perseid Meteor shower, an annual celestial event, observed by millions around the world, but seldom witnessed in this part of the world because of the monsoon rains, returns to the night sky this week and is expected to peak on the night of August 11 and also putting up a show on the night of August 12. Around 100 meteors per hour are expected to zip by in dark clouds!
The best time to see these meteors is after 11 pm till the break of dawn! If the skies are clear, choose a dark spot to make yourself comfortable on a reclining chair, perhaps and look up at any part of the dark skies. No binoculars or telescope are required.
Perseids can appear anywhere and everywhere in the sky. Be patient. Faint Perseids appear as tiny, faint streaks, but occasionally brighter ones may sail across the skies for several seconds and even leave a brief train of glowing smoke. When you see a meteor, track its path backward. If you eventually come to the constellation Perseus, then you've just seen a Perseid!
For more on the how and why of these showers check out this Astronomy Magazine's article
I've never seen the Perseids. But I still remember with awe the magnificent display of fireballs and meteors
Streaking by during the Meteor storm of the Leonids in the early morning of November 18, 2003!
I will be watching for sure, do let us know if you see any!
