IRISH STARGAZERS COULD see up to twenty times as many meteors as normal tonight and tomorrow as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak over the country’s skies.
Astronomy Ireland have said the shower is one of the best meteor showers of the year, and is encouraging people to look out for a “free celestial fireworks display”.
The meteors will be visible all night from dusk until dawn, and can be seen by the human eye so you won’t need a telescope or binoculars to see them.
The comet that causes the Perseids is known as the Comet Swift-Tuttle which orbits the Sun every 130 years.
Members of the public are also being asked to count how many meteors they see every 15 minutes and send the details to Astronomy Ireland.
“This has real scientific value as we only know how these meteor showers develop by members of the public counting them while they view the beautiful spectacle of nature that is a meteor shower.” said David Moore, Editor of Astronomy Ireland magazine.
“You do not need any telescopes or binoculars, just normal human eyesight and a clear sky, but a few clouds won’t spoil the view especially as you have all the hours of darkness to see them and this shower is known for producing some brilliant fireballs.”
With reporting from Órla Ryan.
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