As recent as last Sunday, some Curious electrical discharges whose trajectory was directed towards the atmosphere were sighted south of the island. The phenomenon was captured by the Caribbean Astronomy Society (SAC) and by multiple citizens, who reported having seen the “gigantic jets.” Tonight, the sky will once again be tinged with a spectacle of nature and, if you keep your gaze fixed on the firmament, you might fleetingly appreciate a meteor shower.
These are the Perseids, also known as the Tears of Saint Lawrence. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this event occurs due to fragments of the Swift-Tuttle comet, which orbits between the Sun and beyond the orbit of Pluto.
Every year, Earth passes through a large area of debris released by Swift-Tuttle. These pieces appear as small rays of light that illuminate the sky, like a shooting star.
Although sightings have been reported in recent nights, the SAC indicated that the activity will be best perceived from Sunday night until early Monday morning, a period in which the “peak” of the event is expected to occur.
“Although they will be visible as early as 11:00 pm, meteor activity will be more intense during the early morning hours.”the educational organization reported in written statements.
“To get an idea of how small these particles can be, some meteors are caused by fragments the size of a grain or a pigeonpea, although the brightest Perseids can be produced by fragments as large as a softball,” added the SAC.
According to the agency, some of the images obtained during the early hours of Sunday showed very bright fragments, some even briefly brighter than the Moon.
According to NASA, the Perseids get their name because they appear to emerge from the constellation Perseus (near Aries and Taurus in the night sky). However, SAC noted that to be a part of this event, people do not have to look at a specific area of the sky, as they can appear in various parts of the firmament.
“To view the meteor shower, it is essential to turn off the outside lights and watch comfortably from a reclining chair or even from the ground, but looking directly upward to take in more of the sky.”the educational entity recommended.
The SAC also stressed that observing meteors requires patience and should be done for a reasonable amount of time.
“For those who can’t stay up late tonight, a good alternative is to get up early, as some bright lights will be visible between 3:00 am and 5:00 am,” he concluded.
The organization also does not rule out sightings during Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday.