Astronomers and Star gazers are in for a real treat tonight as a Persieds Meteor shower crosses earth’s atmosphere, lighting up our skies with a natural firework display!
Although an annual event, the Perseids Meteor Shower this year is believed by experts to be a particular good show with over 50 shooting stars an hour!
The expected shimmering spectacle is as a result of material falling from the tail of the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which last passed near the Earth in 1992 and although it won’t be visiting again until the year 2125 every year we are lucky enough that Earth orbits though the debris it leave.
Meteors, most commonly referred to as Shooting Stars, are as a result of high speed small particles entering the Earth’s atmosphere and mostly appearing as a quick flash lasting less than a second. These small particles heat the air around them and it is that causes the streak of light we often seen, with the brighter ones leaving behind them the large trails that may take a few seconds to disappear.
Experts reckon that the best time to spot the meteors over Ireland is late Monday evening through to early Tuesday morning, so wherever in the country you are living or staying whilst on your Ireland vacation, be sure to look towards the sky tonight and see how many shooting stars you can count!