Meteor shower's peak occurs tonight, with shooting stars spotted over Hamburg
Announcing the Spectacular 2021 Perseid Meteor Shower
Get ready for a celestial spectacle as the much-anticipated Perseid meteor shower graced the skies from July 17 to August 24. The peak of this annual event was visible around the night of August 11 to 12, offering stargazers the chance to witness up to 150 meteors per hour under optimal conditions[5].
The city cleaning department of Hamburg announced the event, urging residents to take advantage of the clear skies and dark nights to witness this cosmic display[6]. To make the most of the show, it's essential to find a dark location in the countryside, away from city lights, and allow your eyes half an hour to adjust to the light conditions[3].
The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus and appear to come from this "radiant" in the sky[4]. The best viewing window is after midnight until pre-dawn, when the meteor rate is highest, and the radiant in Perseus is well above the horizon[5].
This year's peak coincided with a new moon (August 8), providing near-ideal dark conditions for viewing the meteor shower[5]. The night from Thursday to Friday was most likely to have clear skies for observing the Perseids in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein[7].
Interestingly, the Perseids originate from the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Each year, Earth passes through the comet's trail of tiny dust particles left around the sun[2]. Cloud gaps are also possible on Friday for viewing the Perseids[8].
For those who missed the 2021 Perseids, mark your calendars for 2025, when the peak will be on August 12–13. However, this event will be affected by a bright waning gibbous Moon, which could potentially dim the show[1][3].
| Aspect | Details 2021 | |-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | Active dates | July 17 – August 24 | | Peak dates | Night of August 11–12 | | Peak rate (ZHR) | Up to 150 meteors per hour | | Best viewing window | After midnight to pre-dawn | | Moon phase at peak | Just after new moon (very little moonlight) | | Viewing location | Dark, clear skies, northern hemisphere favored |
With its dark skies and favourable Moon phase, the 2021 Perseids were one of the best recent years for visibility[5]. Don't miss out on the next celestial event - keep an eye on the skies and prepare for another mesmerising Perseid display in the future.
(Note: References are not included in Markdown format, but can be added as hyperlinks or footnotes in a real-world article.)
[1] Space.com [2] NASA [3] The Guardian [4] Space.com [5] Sky & Telescope [6] dpa [7] The Local [8] The Guardian
The 2021 Perseid Meteor Shower, with its impressive peak rate of up to 150 meteors per hour, was not only a celestial spectacle but also a testament to the science behind space-and-astronomy, as Earth passed through the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle's trail of dust particles. Moreover, the clear skies and dark conditions provided by the new Moon made it an ideal weather condition for observing this annual space event.
