The Jordanian Astronomical Society: Perseid meteors will decorate the skies of Jordan and the Arab region next Monday

2024-08-08 2024-08-08T09:15:45Z

Weather of Arabia - Dr. said. Ammar Al-Sakji, President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society, said that the Perseids meteors will decorate the skies of Jordan and the Arab region from Monday/Tuesday, August 12 to August 13, 2024, and that these meteor showers are the result of the remnants of Comet Soft-Teutel, which orbits the sun once every 135 years and occurs when it intersects the Earth’s orbit. With the remnants and residues of the comet, they interact with components of the atmosphere and cause ionization in its molecules.

Perseid meteor peak rate

The peak rate of the Perseid meteors per hour is ZHR, which is the number of meteors expected to be seen by one observer per hour at the peak of activity if the center of radiation is at the highest elevation in the sky (the zenith of the head), which is equal to about 100 meteors per hour according to standard conditions.

According to Jordan's coordinates and its geographical location in relation to the apparent movement of the radiation center, which peaks at five o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, Jordan time, and for Jordan, the radiation center is below the horizon at this time, as the radiation center rises around 8:12 p.m. on Monday evening, and it remains at its height and increases. The probability of seeing meteors over time, and the recommended times for viewing meteors are from 9:30 Monday evening to 4:30 Tuesday morning, and the best time is after moonset at 11:28 Monday evening.

The best time to watch the Perseid meteors

The best time to watch the Perseid meteors on the night of August 12/13, 2024 is when the center of radiation rises to about 60 degrees, that is, at half past four in the morning on Tuesday, August 13, as the peak rate of meteors at this time is expected to be about 80 meteors per hour, but according to... Geographical location and astronomical conditions: We are expected to see “58 meteors per hour,” and this number may vary depending on weather conditions, including clouds, clear air, dust, etc.

The Perseid meteor shower is a global event in many countries of the world and is considered one of the astronomical events of interest to astronomers, photography enthusiasts, and sky lovers.

Meteor showers and fireballs are visible with the naked eye from the Jordanian sky, in the northeastern side of the horizon, and we advise looking at the sky and in all directions. One of the methods used to view the Perseid meteors and fireballs is to lie on the ground over a light blanket and look at the sky with the naked eye, if observed. Meteors in general require a little patience in observing the dome of the sky, and people vary in the number of meteors seen according to different observing skills. We would like to point out that we are facing a “meteor shower” and not a “meteor storm” because the latter has a much greater number of meteors than that.

The reason why they are called Perseid meteors

The reason they are called Perseid meteors is in reference to the constellation Perseus, “bearer of Perseus,” because the center of the meteor radiation appears as if it is coming out of this constellation, and they are of different sizes of sand grains (the size of a lentil to the size of a bean), and if they are like a bean, they appear in the form of a fireball. Extended and in bright, picturesque colors, extending for several seconds, these granules enter the atmosphere at a speed of more than 60 kilometers per second (216 thousand kilometers per hour), and interact with the components and molecules of the atmosphere, and the temperature of the granules rises to 1650 degrees Celsius, ionizing the air, They burn at varying altitudes from 70 to 100 km, producing meteors. The Perseid meteor shower is one of the brightest and most exciting meteor showers in the sky, and these showers will continue from July 17 to August 24, 2024, and we have followed them during the past days in various regions of Jordan. These meteor showers are considered safe and not dangerous because most of the sand grains burn in space and turn into ash.

The cause of these occurrence are the Perseid meteors

The reason for the occurrence of these meteors is the remnants and remnants of Comet Soft-Teutel, which revolves around the sun with a periodic period of about 135 years. Its last perihelion crossing in front of the sun was on December 11, 1992, and the next crossing is on March 26, 2126, and next Monday this comet will be in the constellation The brave one (Hydra), and its distance from Earth is about 42.7 astronomical units, or 6.4 billion kilometers, and its value is about 37, and it requires giant ground or space telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope. This comet is considered a rich material for researchers in theoretical and astronomical physics for many reasons, including its eccentricity. 0.9866. This value is considered one of the maximum values for astronomical orbits, and requires accurate algorithms for calculation.

Jordan is located among the world's favorite regions for observing Perseid meteor showers

According to the annual report of the International Meteor Organization 2024 (IMO), Jordan is located among the preferred regions globally for observing Perseid meteor showers, as well as the countries located in the northern-mid latitudes, in addition to other astronomical standards such as clear air and lack of clouds in this period of the year, where you can see... These meteors come from most areas of Jordan, especially deserts, rural areas, and areas far from light pollution, such as major cities.

In November 1999, the International Meteor Organization announced that Jordan was “the best in the world” in monitoring similar meteors called the “Leonid Meteor” storm. The Jordanian Astronomical Society, in cooperation with the International Meteor Organization, organized a camp and a global conference attended by many astronomers and specialists from countries around the world and published scientific research. A court on the phenomenon of Leonid meteors, their number and monitoring, and comparing astronomical observation with theoretical astronomical studies, as there was a correspondence between theoretical studies and the number of meteors observed in the Jordanian Astronomical Society camp in Azraq.