Space

Perseid Meteor Shower 2016 Live Stream: Here’s How To Catch The Spectacular Celestial Event

Megha Kedia
First Posted: Jul 27, 2016 06:15 AM EDT

This year's Perseid Meteor Shower, which is also considered as one of the most popular meteor showers in the world, is going to be a bit special as it is expected to appear at double the usual rates with as many as 150 to 200 shooting meteors per hour. The Perseid Meteor Shower 2016 is expected to reach its peak on August 12 and August 13, reported Space.com.

The celestial event takes place every year when the Earth passes through the long trail of dust and debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. It is when the debris burn up at the time of entering the Earth's atmosphere that it emits light which is visible from the ground.

Normally, the rate of Perseid Meteor Shower stands at 50 to 75 meteors per hour. But, the American Meteor Society claims that this year's shower will be spectacular than usual as the meteor shower rate will be double the normal. This is going to be the first time that the phenomena will take place since 2009, according to NASA.

When To See Perseid Meteor Shower 2016-

Earth will pass through the path of Comet Swift-Tuttle beginning July 17 to Aug. 24. However, the shower is going to be the most intense on Aug. 12 when Earth will pass through the densest and the dustiest area. This is the time when people will be able to witness the most meteors in the shortest amount of time.

How to See Perseid Meteor Shower 2016

Bill Cooke, meteor expert at NASA, has suggested that taking in as much sky as possible is the key to watch a meteor shower. People should go to a dark area, in the suburbs or countryside, where there is less pollution. The best time to watch out for the shooting stars is around 2 or 3am, reported ScienceAlert.

For those who won't be able to catch the meteor show, they can access the live broadcast of the Perseid Meteor Shower 2016 offered by online observatory, Slooh.

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