UAE Residents Will Witness 100 Shooting Stars An Hour This Weekend
This weekend, the United Arab Emirates’ night sky will be decorated with the Perseid meteor shower, an annual celestial event. Residents can expect a clear view of the show on Saturday and Sunday nights.
The Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG) has announced that the 2023 Perseid meteor shower will be most intense on the night of August 12th and will last until the early morning of August 13th.
Under optimal conditions, especially in the darkest locations, observers could see up to 100 meteors per hour. The timing coincides with a new phase of the moon, making for darker skies that enhance the viewing experience.
The cause of this meteor shower is that the earth is streaming through the debris of comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet, which last came close to Earth in 1992, is the largest known object to have repeatedly passed near Earth. The next scheduled arrival is scheduled for 2126.
How To Watch This Spectacle?
- Go to places that are as dark as possible for the best viewing experience.
- No telescope or binoculars are required.
- Arrive early to give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
- Prepare for the weather, taking both heat and humidity into account.
- Consider attending the DAG event at Al Awir Desert in Dubai on August 12 from 10 PM to 3 AM. Entrance starts at AED 200 and includes telescope observations and astrophotography sessions.
- Alternatively, Camping Mleiha hosts an event for all ages from 6 PM. Enjoy telescope sightings, competitions, and meteor shower presentations. Food and drinks will be provided. Ticket prices start from 200 AED.
It should be noted that 2023 was a remarkable year for celestial events visible to residents of the United Arab Emirates.
In June, the June Bootod meteor shower lit up the sky.
Mars featured a unique arrangement of five planets: Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Mars.
Earlier in the year, Comet 2022 E3 also passed, coming close to Earth for the first time in 50,000 years.
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