While we have said our goodbyes to Comet Neowise, the annual and one of the most magical meteor showers of the year, Perseid meteor shower is back again, and here is how you can watch it in India. By Amitha Ameen
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Although more popular in the Northern Hemisphere, the Perseid meteor showers will quickly become your favourite celestial event, simply because they are the most colourful, brightest, and the biggest batch of shooting stars with some years even recording more than 100 per hour.
The best time to catch this celestial spectacle will be right before moonrise, but still as late as possible in the evening. Being away from light pollution as much as possible and blocking the moon even by positioning yourself next to a building or tree, and you will most definitely be able to catch it.
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In India, many parts may not be able to catch a clear glimpse of the event owing to the meteor shower clashing with a half-moon and the blanket of monsoon clouds hovering above. But if you can get yourself to a place where there is minimal light, you may be able to catch the Perseid meteor showers as they will be visible throughout August 11, 12, and 13 — although the meteor shower will peak on Tuesday (August 11).
The Perseid Meteor Shower is created by the debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. The numbers can vary anywhere between 60 per hour to as low as 16-20 per hour. Despite the bright moon, the showers can be witnessed late night anytime between IST 02:00 am and 5:30 am with one shooting star being spotted every two minutes. The best part is that one doesn’t need any special equipment to catch the meteor shower because of how bright they are! All they need to do is lay down and look up at the sky.
But if you are worried about cloudy skies or cannot access a light/pollution-free place, then you can catch the celestial event live on NASA’s Facebook page.
Related: You Don’t Want To Miss These Celestial Events In 2020!
