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The Perseid meteor shower is coming: When to watch the falling stars?

09.08.2024 21:50
Poles often see themselves as a nation of dreamers and visionaries, and there's no better way to ignite the imagination than by watching the Perseid meteor shower light up the night sky in the coming days. What should you remember while looking for the "tears of Saint Lawrence" in the heavens?
Many Poles love to venture to remote, poorly lit areas outside city centers to better observe the August meteor shower against the darkened sky.
Many Poles love to venture to remote, poorly lit areas outside city centers to better observe the August meteor shower against the darkened sky.Mehmet Yasin Kabaklı/pexels.com/CC0

According to the legend of Saint Lawrence's Tears, during the persecution of Christians in ancient times, Saint Lawrence, a Roman deacon, was sentenced to death by being burned on a bed of hot coals.

The story goes that as Lawrence died, shimmering stars began to appear in the sky, symbolizing the tears he shed during his torment. These stars, visible annually in the night sky in August, are known as Saint Lawrence's Tears and their appearance is associated with the Perseids, a meteor shower that creates a spectacular display of falling stars.

Perseid Meteor Shower 2024 in Poland: everything you need to know

As noted by renowned Polish astronomer Karol Wójcicki on social media, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower this year will occur on August 12 at around 4 PM local time.

"This means that the best times to observe the most meteors in our part of the world will be on the nights of August 11/12 and 12/13.

The difference will likely be negligible for the average observer," Wójcicki explains. According to the expert, this year's observations will benefit from the Moon's phase, as it will set when the sky becomes dark enough.

Magical sky show: How to spot the meteor shower?

"However, if you are observing from lower latitudes, the constellation will still be below the horizon early in the evening. Observers in the Mediterranean region will need a bit more patience, and due to the partial coverage of the constellation by the horizon at the start of the night, they will see slightly fewer meteors than those of us in Poland," Wójcicki adds.

Given that Poland is experiencing an extreme high-pressure system bringing hot days and clear skies during warm nights, it is hard to imagine better conditions for observing the August meteor shower, emphasizes one of Poland's leading astronomy experts.

As every year, the Perseids will also be visible at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw. Meteor enthusiasts will gather in front of the center's building on August 12, the day when statistically the most shooting stars appear in the sky, weather permitting.

Source: Karol Wójcicki/Z głową w gwiazdach

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