Dazzling Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight: How, where to watch in Dubai

The new moon tonight (August 13) offers a delightful opportunity for stargazers to watch the ongoing annual Perseid meteor shower, which is at its peak now according to astronomers.

With some luck, Dubai and the UAE’s skywatchers will be able to spot a bevy of meteors in the clear night skies today and over the weekend.

The Perseid meteor shower, a potentially dazzling celestial light show, is perhaps the most spectacular one for the Northern Hemisphere and gradually builds to a peak from 50 to 100 meteors per hour in a dark sky, according to Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG).

The DAG will be hosting an event tonight at the Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain even though you may prefer to watch it from the comfort of your backyard.

For, as DAG points out, no special equipment is required to enjoy this spectacle of nature, and you don’t have to be an astronomy expert to spot shooting stars, do you?

And for the astronomy experts, the party has been ongoing for about two weeks now. According to Nasa, a good number of meteors have been visible near Perseus every night since late July, and will be visible through August 24.

The peak, however, is tonight. “Look towards the familiar constellations Cassiopeia and Perseus in the northeast,” says Nasa. Never mind if you don’t know where they are – a quick scan of the night sky will make it amply clear where the celestial party is going on.

Most meteors rise soon after sunset, but they’re not too clearly visible to the naked eye until they are higher in the sky.

Experts believe that the best meteor watching hours will be between 12am and 3am. The DAG session runs from 9pm until 4am, and promises a spectacle at cost of Dh100 for a family of four (2 adults and 2 kids). Individuals though will have to cough up Dh50 apiece.

In return, what you’ll get is expert support from DAG astronomers, who will be available to assist the uninitiated to observe celestial bodies, such as the planet Saturn and the stars of the Summer Triangle, through their telescopes.

In addition, the venue itself is located at the top of historical Jebel Hafeet at the lofty height of 3,000 feet, offering more than just a regular view.

“We however do recommend that you bring along some mats or chairs to be comfortably seated while gazing into the night sky,” DAG advises.

For those not able to make the trip to Al Ain, the Dubai night sky from anywhere should offer you a good enough view of the annual meteor shower.

“In our day and age of expanded artificial lighting, fewer and fewer people have actually seen the wonders of an inky black night sky. So make a date with the Perseid meteor shower and witness one of nature’s most remarkable sky shows,” the DAG maintains.

Nasa adds that the Perseids are considered to be the best meteor shower of the year. With very fast and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long “wakes” of light and colour behind them as they streak through the Earth’s atmosphere.

“The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers (50-100 meteors seen per hour) and occurs with warm summer night-time weather, allowing sky watchers to easily view the shower,” it states.

Perseids are also known for their fireballs. Fireballs are larger explosions of light and colour that can persist longer than an average meteor streak. This is due to the fact that fireballs originate from larger particles of cometary material.

Viewing tips

Find an area well away from bright lights that can dampen your experience of the night sky. Do take a mat or sleeping bag or a lawn chair, as well as a blanket to keep you cosy. It is summers, but the night can get windy and if you’re in the open, it may get a little chilly too.

Lie flat on your back with your feet facing northeast (use your car’s GPS if you’re not sure of the direction) and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.

Don’t lose hope if you don’t see anything immediately – the human eye takes time to adjust, and after about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you should begin to see meteors.

Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.

And last but not least – have fun.

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