Perseid meteor shower promises interstellar treat on Mother’s Day
The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand has invited the public to view the Perseid meteor shower at Princess Sirindhorn AstroPark in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rin district from 11pm on Saturday to 3am on Sunday.
Today is Mother’s Day in Thailand and the birthday of Her Majesty Sirikit the Queen Mother.
The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the Swift-Tuttle comet. The meteors are called “Perseids” because they appear from the general direction of the constellation Perseus and in more modern times have a radiant bordering on Cassiopeia and Camelopardalis.
Perseids are active from the middle of July to late August. This year they are expected to peak on August 12 and 13, according to the institute.
It explained that the annual Perseid meteor shower can be observed with the naked eye in a dark, cloudless area, with 60 to 100 bright meteors per hour.
The institute said its observatories in Chachoengsao, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Songkhla provinces will also be open to members of the public who want to view the meteor shower.
