Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks 2021 AUG 12-13

[CentaurZ]

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower is already underway. The Perseids are usually the finest shower of the year. Normally at the peak more than sixty meteors per hour may be seen by some sharp-eyed folks. The Perseids are debris from the periodic comet 109P Swift-Tuttle.

The shower is expected to peak during the night of 2021 AUG 12-13. Its radiant is in the constellation Perseus. That is the direction toward which the meteor tails point, but the meteors are equally likely to appear anywhere in your sky.

For observers north of the tropics, the meteors appear virtually all night, although most prolifically during the hours before dawn. This year the waxing crescent Moon near the shower’s peak should not provide much interference.

Descriptions of the shower or perhaps even lucky photos would be welcome additions to this thread.

Edited August 7, 2021 by CentaurZ

[happy-kat]

I caught a fireball on the 28th July...a bit early. 

[StevieDvd]

Visually saw a nice long streak Saturday morning around 3am and several bursts, so stayed up late again this morning but only 2 shorts streaks between the cloud breaks.

[pete_l]

Got one from this morning (Sun. 08 August) and about 2:30 Spain time. It came from roughly the right direction

[happy-kat]

Caught 5 possible Perseids on the 08th the closest to your one above was 01:49 BST and what was captured was like a head on as it was very bright but only in one frame (each frame 25 seconds with 5 second gap). The camera faces almost due East.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by happy-kat
GMT corrected to BST

[Pete Presland]

I saw a few under the dark North Norflok skies last night, inbetween the clouds and thunder storms. Hopefully some better wether later this weak nearer the peak.

[happy-kat]

A few more here, but no really impressive fireball caught since the one of the 28th July which was probably too early for a Perseids. (each frame 25 seconds with 5 second gap). The camera ASI462 no IR filter faces almost due East.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by happy-kat
GMT corrected to BST

[ShrewView]

I spent a really enjoyable hour last night, around midnight just laying on a blanket watching out for perseids. Caught around 20, which I thought was pretty good pre peak. I was at a darker site than home and doubt I'd have caught some of the fainter ones from there so it was worth the effort. The best of them left a brief ionised trail as it passed overhead and through the stars of the milky way. Hard not to just say wow out loud. Hoping for another clear spell tonight and I'll try and set up the camera to catch a few, and then just sit back and watch.

[Nyctimene]

Was out under sub-average 5.0 NELM skies with thin haze/clouds Aug. 12 from 02h25 to 03h30 resp. 00h30 to 01h45 CEST. During the first observation I counted 17 Perseids, typically moving fast, and rather bright, despite restricted view of about 50% sky area (barn roof, church building, tree). Last night, under completely unobstructed viewing conditions, 16 Perseids showed, three rather bright ones (Venus-brightness), one with a 10° tail lasting 5 seconds. Each time four other meteorites of different origins, mostly Delta-Aquarids. Not bad, but sub-average activity IMO, and no comparison to the showers of 2016, Aug. 13th, when I counted within two hours 71 Perseids (40 in one hour), resp. 2018, Aug. 13th (29 during one hour). Had a curious bat as company. Upcoming clouds, so I finished at 01h45.

Stephan

Edited August 13, 2021 by Nyctimene

[happy-kat]

Unfortunately slight MSD card issue on the 12th so didn't capture the entire night and what I did hadn't caught any perseids. Though 5 were on last nights, but no spectacular fireballs. Bortle 5 and clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by happy-kat
GMT corrected to BST

[happy-kat]

Some more on the 14th, 25 second exposures with 2 second gap between frames, one was just caught between frames it was travelling very fast.

Edited August 15, 2021 by happy-kat

[Swithin StCleeve]

The Wolverhampton Astronomical Society had a meteor-watch and we logged 42 Perseids from 10pm to about 1am. It was a real fun event, as people got quite excited when they spotted them. Four of them were very bright and left smoke trails. One ha a blue hue. It clouded over around 1am.