We call it a meteor shower, but they are actually meteors. Every year there are ten great phenomena of this type. During the summer, in the months of July and August, the most anticipated shooting stars of the entire year are produced.
We call it a meteor shower, but they are actually meteors. Every year there are ten great phenomena of this type. A meteor is the phenomenon resulting from the penetration of a particle of matter (meteoroid) into the atmosphere at high speed. The vaporization of the particle due to its collision with the air molecules produces a luminosity that makes this phenomenon that we colloquially call an observable star. Its duration is usually a fraction of a second.
The height at which the meteor becomes visible is of the order of 100 kilometers, although it depends somewhat on the speed of penetration, with the particles that hit at a higher speed evaporating at a higher altitude, as explained by the National Astronomical Observatory. Particles with a size between a tenth of a millimeter and a few centimeters are totally consumed above 50 kilometers, although the great brightness and transverse speed of some of them make them appear close to the observer.
Only a few meteoroids, with a large enough initial mass of more than a kilo and a very solid consistency (rocky, metallic), reach the ground every day, becoming known as meteorites.
July Meteor Shower: Delta Aquarids
The Delta Aquarids meteor shower begins to be seen in mid-July and lasts until the end of August, but its maximum intensity usually occurs around the early hours. The best time to see the rain will be in the early hours of the morning, between 2 and 3 in the morning. And, always, in low light conditions, when the Moon is not present or is in a waning state.
The origins of the Delta Aquarids are unknown, but Comet 96P Machholz is believed to be its parent body.
August Meteor Shower: The Perseids
Among the many meteor showers that can be enjoyed year after year, the Perseid meteor shower is one of the most popular (also known as the tears of Saint Lawrence), which takes place between mid-July and early August, producing its maximum meteor rate around August 10, San Lorenzo, hence its name.Astronomers expect to see 50 to 60 shooting stars per hour, or about one per minute.
