The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most iconic annual meteor showers in Singapore. So if you miss the rare Saturn and Moon Conjunction in July, this is your next big astrological event to mark. Wonderfully, the next celestial event for this meteor shower is expected to take place in the early hours of August 12 and 13 this year, with a peak around the night of August 11, 2024.
What is the Perseid Meteor Shower?
The Perseids meteor shower is an annual celestial event that occurs when Earth passes through the debris left behind by the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The debris creates a spectacular display of meteors that appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus and it was only discovered in 1862. This particular meteor shower is known for its bright and colourful meteors, that often resemble fireballs, and can produce up to 100 meteors per hour at peak.
In fact, the Perseid meteor shower occurs annually between mid-July and late August in Singapore. However, it can be challenging to view the Perseids in Singapore due to the country’s frequent cloud cover and light pollution.
What to expect
Sky gazers will need to find an open area with unobstructed views and minimal light pollution to be able to witness the best of the Perseids. Meanwhile, the best viewing time is expected to be on August 13 between 4am and 6am.
This year the moon is only 50% illuminated so there are darker skies which may provide better conditions for spotting meteors in Singapore.
Some notable locations to see the meteor shower in Singapore include nature parks like West Coast Park and East Coast Park, sky gardens, beaches, open-air carparks, Marina Barrage, and more.
There will be another meteor shower, known as Geminids, in December 2024 if you miss the meteor shower in August. It is expected to be the biggest meteor show of the year.
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