The Perseid meteor shower is typically one of the biggest and most dependable events in the northern hemisphere as this phenomenon appears almost like clockwork.
This unique spectacle, which can be observed with the naked eye, begins mid-way through July and runs throughout August.
However, astronomers say the best chance to see it will be the night of Saturday, August 12 and the early-morning hours on Sunday, August 13.
“These shooting stars are actually tiny little bits, sand grains, gravel or tiny pebbles to be exact, that ram into the Earth's atmosphere at the head-turning velocity of 60 km per second, not per hour, mind you,” says Jerzy Rafalski, astronomy enthusiast hailing from the Planetarium in the northern city of Toruń.
“And if even a little bit gets cast into the atmosphere it causes friction which then generates heat producing a sparkling ball for us - located about one hundred kilometers below - to watch a kind of a shooting star,” he adds.
To make the most of the opportunity, the Warsaw-based Copernicus Science Centre is extending an invitation to a shared stargazing experience.
For those stuck in the city, the center promises to dim some of the Warsaw lights, set up telescopes and enlist the assistance of experts for a collective night of observation this coming weekend.
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland’s Michał Owczarek.
