For lovers of astronomical phenomena... you have an appointment tonight with the Perseids meteor shower

Arab Weather - Dr. Abdullah Al-Musnad, former professor of climate at Qassim University and vice president of the Saudi Weather and Climate Society, said:

Today begins the ascendant of Al-Nathra, a faint star cluster in the constellation Cancer, known among the public as “Al-Kulaybin,” a Levantine star whose appearance period lasts 13 days.

Perseid meteor shower

Dr. Al-Misnad explained that the Suhail star will rise in Riyadh today two minutes before sunrise, as it rises at 5:23 while the sun rises at 5:25. However, the star will not be seen in the central, western and northern regions for a few days. He also indicated that the night hours will continue to increase at a rate of one minute and 11 seconds per day.

“On the next three nights, after midnight, the Perseid meteor shower can be seen at a rate of up to 80 meteors per hour under ideal conditions,” he added. “The shower is caused by the remains of the massive comet Soviet-Tuttle, which completes an orbit around the sun about every 130 years.”

* Today is the entry of the Nathra ascendant, which is a faint star cluster in the Cancer constellation. The common people call Nathra Al-Kalibin, which is a Levantine star and has 13 days.
* Today in Riyadh, the star #Suhail rises before the sun at 5:23, while the sun rises at 5:25, and it will not be seen in the central, western and northern regions until a few days later.
*Continues… pic.twitter.com/VKbD113OeK

— Prof. Dr. Abdullah Al-Misnad (@ALMISNID) August 11, 2024

Best time to view the Perseids meteor shower

Dr. Al-Masnad pointed out that the best time to see the Perseid meteor shower is after midnight until just before dawn, when it is best to look northeast away from light pollution. The target area of the sky can be identified by the bright stars, with the star "Algol" on the right and the star "Almirab" on the left being the brightest. He explained that looking above these two stars would be the best place to watch the shower, and the shower may peak before dawn. He pointed out that meteors are sometimes strong enough to cast shadows on objects due to their light. And God knows best.

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