The Perseid meteor shower

[font="Arial">[size="1">[font="Arial">[size="1">[font="Arial">[size="2">The Perseid meteor shower starts in late July and runs to late August. The peak this year is expected on 12 August between 11.30–14.00 hours [/font][font="Arial">[size="2">GMT[/font][font="Arial">[size="2"> but the best time to view from the [/font][font="Arial">[size="2">UK[/font][font="Arial">[size="2"> will be after dark on August 12th. If you are in [/font][font="Arial">[size="2">Germany[/font][font="Arial">[size="2"> please keep in mind that “after dark” is an hour earlier than in the [/font][font="Arial">[size="2">UK[/font][font="Arial">[size="2">.[/font]

[/font][/font][font="Arial">[size="1">

[/font]
[font="Arial">[size="1">[font="Arial">[size="2">[font="Arial">[size="2">As well as the Sun, nine planets, comets and large asteroids, our solar system contains small particles of material sometimes described as meteoroids. Meteoroids have a high relative velocity with respect to the Earth and so disintegrate rapidly or 'burn up' if they enter the terrestrial atmosphere. The air around them is superheated, ionised and then luminous enough to be seen from the ground – this trail is a meteor.
[/font]
[font="Arial">[size="2">Groups of meteors are named after the constellation from whence they appear to originate, in this case they are coming from Perseus. These “shooting stars” can be seen even if you’re in the middle of Munich, I’ve seen them from Au, Berg-am-Laim and Milbetshofen. So keep your eyes open and wish upon a meteor.[/font][/font]

[/font]

Thanks for posting this, Sarabyrd! I haven't watched this in many years. Me and my dad used to get up at 3 am in the States to see them at their peak. Good times. I'll have to make some time tomorrow night for this.

Any suggestions on where around Munich would be a good spot to view the shower? Preferably on the S-bahn lines.

>Preferably on the S-bahn lines

bit dangerous, you could get run over.

I think i heard it wouldn't be great for seeing them as the moon is in the way for a lot of the night.

I had heard that about the moon so I didn't get too adventurous so I just went to Olympiapark. Place was lit up like a Christmas Tree, they even had a Ferris Wheel, nothing but flashing lights. Oh well, I had a chance to take some nice photos anyway.

I didn't even go out of town. Me and some friends went to the bridge at Frauenhoferstrasse and walked a bit away from the traffic. We had a great view. Shared some beers and a laugh, watched moths get burnt up by our tiki torch And of course, we saw some amazing meteors. Some were so bright they left a trail in the sky after they had disappeared. All in all a good night.

As seems usual whenever there is anything interesting due in the night sky - it pissed it down all night. 10/10 cloud cover from about 14:00 yesterday until I gave up and went to bed.

Ah well maybe next year.

Tuesday the sky was covered in cloud so it wasn't possible to see anything and last night was totally clear but nothing in the sky except stars (and the moon later on) and a couple of aircraft... Disappointed.

For a change it wasn't chucking it down last night. We went to watch them in middle of the English Garden and saw some spectacular ones, plus some not so spectacular ones. Still, all in all we were most chuffed. We had very bad luck the last couple of years, similar to what previous posters reported. It was either completely overcast or raining. One particular meteor lit up the sky and left a long glowing trail in the sky, it reminded me of Comet Hyakutake which I had the pleasure of seeing in 1996.

Well I am getting back into astronomy after a few years of bad luck with weather and lack of time owing to kids. I was out Saturday andwhile the best was over I stillsaw a few "Oooohs" and "Ahhhs" one with a lovely silvery trail behind.