Perseid meteor shower 2013 to peak over Bulgaria on August 12 and 13
The annual summer night sky show that is the Perseid meteor shower will peak in 2013 on the nights of August 12 and 13.
The Perseid meteor shower happens every August as planet Earth passes through the dust particles of the Swift-Tuttle comet, causing the spray of shooting stars named for the constellation Perseus, the point in the sky from which the meteor shower appears to originate.
The effect in the night sky is caused by the dust particles burning up in Earth’s atmosphere.
For stargazers, the good news about the Perseid meteor shower in 2013 is that the waxing crescent moon on August 12 will not dim the impact of the show.
Predictions are for a rate of meteors of about 60 to 100 an hour.
The best hours to observer the meteor shower are predawn on August 11, 12 and 13, preferably from a spot away from bright city lights.
For stargazers in Bulgaria, the one possible cloud on the horizon – literally – is that the weather forecast for Varna, Bourgas and Sofia on August 12 is for partly cloudy weather, though clearer weather is expected on August 13.
(Photo: Nasa)
