Why 2023 is a Great Year for the Perseid Meteors - by astroguyz
on its 133-year orbit around the Sun. The comet is currently headed towards aphelion and won’t reach perihelion again until 2126. Most years see the shower producing 60 to 100 meteors per hour as seen from dark skies. The radiant in the constellation Perseus the Hero rises low to the northeast for mid-northern latitudes around 2 AM local. Start watching early as you may see a few early arrivals glancing off the Earth’s atmosphere in the evening as well.
The Perseids were first identified as a modern annual shower in the mid-19th century, though the observed uptick in August meteor rates goes back much further. Astronomer Edward Herrickthat Christians had the Perseids as the “Tears of Saint Lawrence,” in reference to the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence in early August 258 AD.
In recent years, the Perseids have been steady performers at a rate of 60 to 100 per hour. Though they’ve had their reign as the ‘King of Annual Meteor showers’ challenged a bit in recent years by the December Geminids, the Perseids have the key advantage of occurring in the summer, during camping season.You’ll want to watch from a site that’s as dark as possible. Rates for meteor showers always pick up after local midnight, as you turn forward into the oncoming meteor stream.
Imaging the Perseids is as simple as setting a DSLR camera on a tripod with a lens affording a wide field of view. Simply shoot a series of long-exposures, and see what turns up. Be sure to take some test shots beforehand to get the ISO/f-stop/shutter speed combination just right for the current sky conditions. I like to use a remote intervalometer controller to automate the process. This lets you simply shoot long series of shots, while you lie back and enjoy the show.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Americans Saving Less in 2023: Here's WhyThe U.S. personal savings rate has significantly dropped in 2022, reaching a 15-year low of 2.7%. This decline follows a period during the pandemic when households were saving as much as 30% of their monthly income. The decrease in savings could potentially lead to economic challenges.
Read more »
Oakland Unified School District Begins 2023-24 School YearOakland Unified School District has started the new school year with 34,000 students returning to classrooms. The first day of classes was greeted with excitement and high-fives from staff members at Hoover Elementary School.
Read more »
Fremantle Owner Downgrades 2023 Financials Following Half-Year Profit TumbleRTL Group, the owner of American Idol outfit Fremantle, has downgraded its full-year financial expectations following a tricky six months during which group profit tumbled by more than 50%.
Read more »
2023 is on track to be the hottest year on recordThis year is increasingly likely to become the hottest year on record, due to a rapidly strengthening El Niño weather pattern and unprecedentedly hot summer.
Read more »
Old Fitzgerald Spring 2023 (10 Year) Bourbon ReviewThis spring's expression of Old Fitzgerald is one of Heaven Hill's most effortlessly balanced, tasty bourbons in recent memory. The 19-year-old bottle in Fall 2022, on the other hand, jumped up to an MSRP of $240, making one wonder: Is this just a reflection of the most mature release in the series so far, or an indication that the rough “$10 per year” peg has gone away? The $140 mark for this 10 year expression seemingly proves the answer is the latter.
Read more »
UC admits record number of California first-year students for fall 2023, led by LatinosThe UC has admitted a record number of California first-year students for fall 2023, with Latinos leading the way. The increase in Native Americans has also contributed to the largest ever group of underrepresented students offered admission. Despite the ban on affirmative action, the university is still striving to promote diversity without considering race in admissions decisions. Additionally, about 45% of admitted students are the first in their families to attend college, and 47% come from low-income backgrounds.
Read more »