Shooting stars above Romania tonight

Tonight, after 24:00, the Perseid meteor shower will record maximum activity.

So in areas with clear skies you can see even 100 meteors per hour. Named after Perseus, the constellation from which the so-called 'falling stars' seem to come from are submillimeter particles of cosmic dust that ignite as they rub against the earth's atmosphere.

Perseids are one of the many swarms of active meteors in a year, but the phenomenon is better known because it occurs during the summer holidays, when people spend more time outdoors at night, and fortunately at night the moon will be in the last quarter, and its light will not bother too much, so we can see more meteors.

Astronomers say that those who are outside the cities, in areas with fresh air and no stray lights have the chance to see even 100 meteors per hour. You don't need an astronomical instrument, just something to lie on, like a sleeping bag or a sunbed; and, after midnight, we can see in the sky, among the stars, a trail of light that will last less than a second.

It looks like one of the stars in the sky has fallen, hence the name falling star (or shooting star). In reality, the luminous trace is left by a particle less than a millimeter in diameter, which ignites when it enters the earth's atmosphere due to friction with the air. The phenomenon can best be observed in the mountains and in rural areas or even at sea, somewhere without much light from the resorts.

Translated by: Radu Matei