Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus will have an opportunity to observe the annual Perseid meteor shower under particularly favourable conditions next week, with the display expected to peak overnight between Wednesday and Thursday. The peak will coincide almost exactly with the new moon, creating darker skies and improving visibility away from city centres.
Peak viewing conditions
The meteor shower will be active from July 17 to August 24, with the highest activity expected from Wednesday night into the early hours of Thursday.
The best time to observe the display from Cyprus will be after midnight, when the constellation Perseus rises higher above the horizon. At that time, the Earth’s rotation places Cyprus in the direction of travel through the debris field.
Comet debris
Despite being commonly described as “shooting stars”, the Perseids are tiny particles of debris left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
As the Earth passes through the comet’s trail each year, the particles enter the atmosphere at around 59 kilometres per second. They burn up in the atmosphere, producing brief streaks of light across the night sky.
Observation advice
The astronomical organisation encouraged the public to observe the phenomenon from locations away from unnecessary artificial lighting.
