Perseid meteor shower lights up skies over Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda: The skies of Antigua and Barbuda were lit up with the annual Perseid meteor shower on the night of August 12, Wednesday, into the early morning hours of August 13, Thursday. The event gave skywatchers a bright opportunity to enjoy the night sky with meteorological activity.

The peak of the meteor shower was reached overnight, and the best viewing conditions occurred before sunrise. The meteor shower was especially favourable this year because the peak of the event came during a new moon. This was the reason why the sky was much darker which made it easier to view the event.

The Perseids are among the most active and well-known showers each year. Dozens of meteors are visible during this event in an hour under dark and clear skies. There is even a possibility of seeing up to about 100 meteors per hour if the conditions are favourable.

The best time to view the showers in Antigua and Barbuda was from around 2:00 a.m. until dawn. The meteor activity was earlier predicted to be the strongest at that time. A report predicted that the activity during this meteor shower generally increases after midnight. And the highest number of meteors appear during the hours before sunrise or after 3 a.m.

This annual meteor shower is mostly active and strong, so no special equipment was needed to enjoy the display. People of Antigua and Barbuda and from across regions were able to enjoy the showers with the naked eye. It was even more clearly visible at a darker location away from the city lights. Another advice given by meteor enthusiasts was that the skywatchers should allow their eyes to adjust to darkness for around 20 to 30 minutes, which will help improve visibility.

This annual phenomenon of Perseids happens as Earth moves through dust and small pieces of rocks left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. When these tiny rocks enter the atmosphere of Earth at high speeds, they heat up and burn. This creates the bright streaks which are known as shooting stars.

Even though the main peak has passed now, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to remain active through August 24. This means that the people of Antigua and Barbuda and from other parts of the Caribbean still have a chance to view meteors in the coming nights. It would be much more clearly visible under clear and dark skies.