August 11 and 12 are predicted to be good days for stargazers across the world as the debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle will be seen in the night sky in the form of a meteor shower. It is expected that around 16 to 60 meteors can be seen in the sky per hour.
However, the monsoon may dampen stargazers in India this year, as a cloudy sky may affect visibility in many areas. However, if the skies are clear, Indians have the chance to observe the celestial event on both Tuesday and Wednesday. One can spot the celestial event from 2 am until the early twilight hours.
In one of the similar cases in recent years, it was observed that a meteor would pass every two minutes, and that is what makes this a very unique celestial event.
Earth witnesses four meteor showers regularly, Perseids from the debris of Comet Swift-Tuttle, Taurids from the debris of Comet Encke, Eta Aquariids from the debris of Halley's comet and Quadrantids from the debris of C/1490-Y1. Amongst all these, Perseids is most visible, as it occurs during one of the best times of the year.
The Perseid meteor shower can be best seen in an area with no pollution and with little to no clouds. If the sky is clear one doesn't need equipment to look at the celestial event, it can even be observed with the naked eye. However, the optimal condition to witness such an event is with negligible moonlight. On August 11 and 12, the moon is predicted to be in the waning-Gibbous phase, which means that it will be transitioning from the full moon to quarter and the brightness reduces every day. Astronomers say this will not affect the visuals of the Perseid meteor shower.
If you live in a crowded city and are unable to view it in the sky, NASA Meteor Watch will be broadcasting the Perseids live on their Facebook page from 6 am IST on Tuesday.