Skywatchers in the UAE can look up to see the September Epsilon Perseids meteor shower, which is currently active and will reach its peak on Tuesday morning.
The September Epsilon Perseids are expected to produce up to 8 meteors per hour at their peak on the early morning of September 10.
Various meteor showers observed around the world from time to time are caused by small celestial bodies, primarily composed of ice and dust that orbit the Sun on different timelines.
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According to a master’s thesis titled Meteor Shower Identification for Observed Meteoroids in the UAE by Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, who currently serves as the Director of the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre, it is mentioned that, “Once a comet approaches the sun, and because of the heat and the solar pressure, some dust particles are ejected from the comet and remain behind it in what is called a comet trail.”
“These small dust particles are called meteoroids, and they range from millimetres to few centimetres. When a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, the temperature starts to increase because of the friction and the drag force, until all or most of the meteoroid sublimates. During this process, the atmosphere particles are ionized, and once the electrons return to their original state, the energy is released in a form of light, and this is called a meteor.”
Shedding light on the September Epsilon Perseids while speaking to Khaleej Times, Odeh added, “This is not an active meteor shower so it’s less talked about to the public and it is different from the Perseids which are a more active meteor shower. Although it can be seen from the UAE, its visibility may not be much.”
Fewer compared to August Perseids
Experts in the UAE also explained that the September Epsilon Perseids meteor shower is a relatively minor meteor shower that does not have a definitively identified parent body but is believed to be associated with debris from an unknown comet.
Dr Sarath Raj, Director – Laboratories, Project Director – Amity Dubai Satellite Ground Station and AmiSat, said, “The meteors appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, particularly near the star Epsilon Persei, which gives the shower its name. It peaks around September 9-10, producing an average of 5 meteors per hour under optimal conditions. These meteors travel at high speeds of about 64 kilometres per second, typical for Perseid-type meteor showers. Though fast and bright, they are fewer in number compared to the more famous August Perseids and may occasionally produce fireballs.”
Both the September Epsilon Perseids and the August Perseids have radiant points, which refer to the area in the sky where meteor showers seem to originate, specifically in the constellation Perseus.
“However, the September Epsilon Perseids’ radiant (vanishing point of the meteor paths) is closer to Epsilon Persei, while the Perseids’ radiant is closer to the star Perseus. The September Epsilon Perseids peak later, around September 9-10, compared to the August Perseids’ peak around August 12-13. Additionally, the Perseids are more intense, producing a significantly higher number of meteors per hour,” added Raj.
Clear, dark skies away from city lights are essential and minimal light pollution along with favourable weather conditions are crucial for optimal viewing.
“In the UAE, the September Epsilon Perseids are best viewed after midnight, as the constellation Perseus rises higher in the sky, with the early morning hours offering the best conditions,” he added.