Skip to main content

Week 6 [30.11 - 6.12] - Perseids meteor shower

Shooting stars - where do Perseids come from?


Our solar system is full of various objects. When an object is on a collision course with Earth it must enter the atmosphere. As it flies through its successive layers (troposphere, tropopause, stratosphere), it burns, which results from the friction of a rapidly moving object against the atmosphere. This effect increases with decreasing distance to the planet's surface. Friction heats up the object up to 2000 degrees Celsius. And that's how a glowing trace is left behind by a falling meteor. 


The Perseids are the debris from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As the Earth orbits around the Sun intersects with Perseids meteors orbit. The meteor shower can be seen from the end of July to the beginning of September, but it peaks on the night of August 13. 


How to watch shooting stars?

Observing shooting stars doesn't require any special equipment. The most important is a dark location. But how can night be any darker? Lights in cities create what is called light pollution. This effect increases with high humidity in the air. For finding the best spot check https://www.lightpollutionmap.info

The best spot in Poland is in Bieszczadzki Park Narodowy. For finding the exact location of objects in the sky at any date and time use the Stellarium app (free on desktops, paid on smartphones). The phenomenon is quite fascinating to watch. Colors of the meteor's flower change from blue/green to orange. And there's about 60-100 per hour.


How to photograph shooting stars?

Of course, you need a camera. A full-frame would be the best. When it comes to the lens, the wide aperture, and wide focal length is a good choice. A camera tripod is mandatory. After focusing the camera to infinity you have to find a balance of exposure to noise in the photo (higher ISO value increases light sensitivity, but also increases noise). High exposure times can create star trails. Use RAW format, which is the best for photo processing. The results can be breathtaking. The last photo is mine, taken with an inexpensive setup. As you can see - it’s not that difficult.




Questions:

  1. Have you ever heard of Perseids meteor shower?

  2. Have you tried to watch them? If no - are you willing to try?

  3. Do you know other astronomy phenomenons or deep-sky objects that are worth watching/photographing?





bibliography:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/capturing-the-perseids-how-to-photograph-a-meteor-shower/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2020/08/04/everything-you-need-to-know-to-see-fireballs-during-the-perseid-meteor-shower-2020/

my own experience


Comments

Viktor Ryś said…
1.
Yes, I think they are one of the better known meteor showers visible on the nortnern hemisphere. Probably because their number per hour can reach quite high numbers meaning it's a spectacular meteor shower.

2.
I did, it's a shame however that with the light polution so present in cities it's becoming harder and harder to observe the night sky.

3.
If someone has a telescope or a a decent binoculars then I recommend the deep-sky objects from the Messier catalogue, because it's quite fun to try to find them on the sky and a seeing something that far away gives you some form of perspective on life.
FilipJatelnicki said…
Have you ever heard of Perseids meteor shower?
Yea I heard about it and the footage of it is amazing.

Have you tried to watch them? If no - are you willing to try?
Not really, I haven't got enough determination to place myself in the spot that would be good to watch the show.

Do you know other astronomy phenomenons or deep-sky objects that are worth watching/photographing?
Not really because I'm not that much into astronomy. Nevertheless the footage from other planets or moon are something that boggles my mind. I love to watch those.
Have you ever heard of Perseids meteor shower?
1. Of course I've heard of the Perseid meteor shower.

Have you tried to watch them? If no - are you willing to try?
2. I have wanted to see this phenomenon many times, but there is one problem. I live in Warsaw and due to too much air pollution it is almost impossible. A year ago, I saw this when I was in my grandparents property in the countryside and I must admit that it is impressive.

Do you know other astronomy phenomenons or deep-sky objects that are worth watching/photographing?
3. My father is a huge fan of astronomy and we have several telescopes at home through which I can view the sky. Unfortunately, I don't share his passion. I used to watch a lunar eclipse and I don't remember any more phenomena.
This comment has been removed by the author.
1&2. Certainly, I think it is the most known meteor shower of all :) Unfortunately, I usually stay in Warsaw in August and due to light pollution, this phenomenon is visible, but not as impressive as it could be. However, I did on one occasion have a pleasure of watching it at the seaside of Baltic sea and... it's hard to put into words how breathtaking it is. I think that everyone should watch at least once in their life to grow an appreciation for beautiful the Universe itself can be.

3.Oh there is a plethora of them, truly you can pick and choose. Unfortunately, most of them are seasonal and may depend on location, but there is always something interesting happening relatively nearby in the near future :)
As for the examples for things you might want to experience I think that auroras and eclipses are always very impressive, although may require a more serious trip. Other interesting objects to try catching are comets (I'm not sure, but I think that perseids come from a comet with a short orbital period) or other planets of the solar system. Truly the sky is the limit! (joke)
@Viktor Ryś
Yes, light pollution is now a huge problem. I wonder if Elon Musk's Star link will only make things worse.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have quite good binoculars and I'll check it out during the winter holidays.
@FilipJatelnicki
Thanks, I'm glad that you like the photos.

Our solar system is indeed amazing. Have you ever watched Mars and Saturn during the summer? They are visible with the naked eye at night. It's easy to mistake them for bright stars. Mars's dark orange color is also visible.
@Paweł Bluszcz
The nearest places from Warsaw that are suitable for watching astronomy phenomenons can be found in Kampinowski PN. It's not as good as for example Bieszczadzki PN and Warsaw's light pollution still is visible, but at least you can easily see all constellations.

Honestly, I'm a little jealous about the telescopes. I would love to have at least one, but it's really expensive gear.
What an interesting article! I've heard about Perseids meteor shower before, and in fact, it's my family tradition to watch it on warm summer nights. This year we have been incredibly fortunate as we have seen so many meteors, that we have quickly got lost and stopped counting. We usually observe it from our summer house in Masuria, so far from the spot that you have recommended in Bieszczady, but the view is still mesmerizing. It's fascinating, that an event of destruction can be seen as beautiful and almost magical.

As for the other astronomy phenomenons worth watching, I really enjoyed watching the solar eclipse. It has such a rare occurrence, which makes it even more interesting and mystifying. You can't see it with a bare eye, but to observe it, you don't need expensive equipment, a dimmed glass will do just fine. A better choice would be eclipse glasses which filter out eye damaging radiation. Another space watching entertainment is observing and recognizing star constellations. Wherever I go, I always look out for Ursa Major or Cassiopeia. However, even when I find them I'm still unable to pinpoint my location regarding the cardinal direction or points. If you're looking for an app that would help you recognize star constellation, I would highly recommend SkyView. It puts a map of current constellations over your camera view, so you can check what you are seeing.
@Robert Gawryś-Poniewierka
Have you ever heard of the Orion nebula? It's a well-known object visible in the wintertime. It's easy to spot the Orion constellation and in the middle of it, there's a small star. If you point a camera to it the sensor sees colors emitted by hydrogen and then the whole nebula is visible.

I wanted to go to Finland this year to see the northern lights but unfortunately, the covid has impacted everyone's life.
Mateusz Szych said…
1. Yes, I have. From time to time, information about this type of phenomena will appear on social media.
2. Yes, I have. In high school, I happened to lie on the ground at night with my friends and watch. It wasn't very interesting for me, but it was better than staying at home. When someone noticed a falling meteor, he immediately shouted and pointed at it with his finger.
3. Astronomy has never interested me. I only heard about various phenomena in physics lessons.

Popular posts from this blog

Week 11 [03-09.06.2019] The problem with ecological cars emission in UK

The problem with ecological cars emission in UK Since the adoption of the European Emission Allowance Directive in the European Parliament, all car makers have tried to submit. Since 1992, the Euro I standard has been in force, which limited the emission of carbon monoxide to the atmosphere. The Euro VI standard currently applies, which limits the series of exhaust gases. These include: hydrocarbons, nitrogen and carbon oxides, and dust.   The most significant change was brought by the Euro IV standard. For the first time it introduced the limitation of nitrogen oxides, which are responsible for the harmful compounds of smog.   What is smog?   Smog consists of sulfur oxides, nitrogen and carbon. In addition, solid substances such as suspended dust (PM). Dust suspend in atmospheric aerosols may be in liquid and solid form. These can be particles of sea salt, clouds from the Sahara and artificial compounds made by people. These compounds often come fr

Week 12 (12.01-18.01.15) Are you an early bird or a night owl ?

Owls are nocturnal creatures. They’re wide awake at night and they sleep during the day. If this sounds like bliss to you, then, like about 20 percent of the population who find themselves most active at around 9 pm, you may fall into the same category as our feathered friend. Night owls often have difficulty waking up in the morning, and like to be up late at night.  Studies of animal behaviour indicate that being a night owl may actually be built into some people’s genes. This would explain why those late-to-bed, late-to-rise people find it so difficult to change their behaviour. The trouble for night owls is that they just have to be at places such as work and school far too early. This is when the alarm clock becomes the night owl’s most important survival tool. Experts say that one way for a night owl to beat their dependence on their alarm clocks is to sleep with the curtains open. The Theory is that if they do so, the morning sunlight will awaken them gently and naturally.

Week 4 [06-12.11.2017] This is what happens when you reply to spam email.

James Veitch is a British comedian. In today’s Ted Talk James with characteristic for himself a sense of humor shows how he deals with spam emails and why responding to junk messages may be sometimes dangerous. Questions: What do you think about James’s  way of dealing with spam? Why are junk messages legal, even though it sometimes may be a fraud? Dou you have a problem with spam? How do you deal with with it?