Perseid meteor shower

August 2011

The Perseid meteor shower is visible in our night skies every August, with its peak usually being between the 9th-14th when up to 60 shooting stars, or meteors, can be seen an hour! 
 

See it

The best chance to see the Perseids is on a clear night with little moonlight, away from light pollution like street lights.

   stargaze in a wood
 

This year's meteor shower coincides with a full moon, so you might only see the biggest, brightest meteors.

The hours before dawn are usually the most spectacular, but there are plenty on display if you decide to stay up late. And we definitely think it's worth staying up late for :O)

check for clear skies above you 

 

Seen a shooting star?

Tell us how many you spotted:

naturedetectives@woodlandtrust.org.uk 

 

What happens?

The Perseid meteor shower has been seen from earth for over 2,000 years.

It happens when the earth passes through debris from a huge comet - the Swift-Tuttle - which passes through the inner part of our solar system every 133 years, leaving a massive trail of dust and gravel behind it.

When the Earth travels through this debris the dust and gravel hit our atmosphere at an incredible speed, disintegrating in flashes of light which we see down here on earth as shooting stars :O)

 

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