The Perseids, also known as the Tears of Saint Lawrence, are one of the most spectacular natural phenomena of the year. This massive meteor shower is caused when the Earth crosses the tail of cosmic dust left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet.
Comet Swift-Tuttle was discovered in 1862 independently by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. More than 20 years later, in 1865, the Perseid rain was associated for the first time with its passage.
The Perseids are so named because their radiant, or the point from which these meteors appear to be born, is in the constellation Perseus. In addition, they are also known by the name of tears of San Lorenzo due to the proximity in the Spanish calendar with the day of this saint.
Every year, this event occurs between July and August. Specifically, this phenomenon can be enjoyed between July 16 and August 24. However, the peak of greatest activity and best visibility in Spain will be the nights of August 11, 12 and 13.
On peak nights, it is expected that between 60 and 100 shooting stars can be seen every hour. As NASA explains, the best times to enjoy this phenomenon in the Northern Hemisphere are the hours before dawn, although they can begin to be seen after 10:00 p.m.
This year seeing the astronomical spectacle will be easier than the previous year, when the phenomenon coincided with the full moon. However, whoever wants to try to enjoy this cosmic spectacle should move away to environments where artificial lights, buildings or tall trees interfere with observing the sky.
For this reason, it is recommended to go to natural environments, far from urban centers, such as parks or nature reserves. Without going any further, the Teide National Park, in Tenerife; Sierra Morena, in Jaen; the Alto Turia Astronomical Center, in Valencia; or the Natural Park of Montseny, in Barcelona; are some of the recommended points to enjoy this event.
Experts agree that no optical instrument is needed to observe meteor showers, and it is recommended to lie on the ground to get as wide a view of the sky as possible.
