Up to 100 shooting stars per hour will light up the night skies over the UAE as the Perseids meteor shower peaks next week. Residents don’t need special equipment to get a good view of the cosmic action on August 12; they just have to find a viewing spot away from the city and street lights, lie flat on their backs and look up.
Those looking for a guided experience can choose from two paid events: One atop the UAE’s highest peak, the Jebel Jais; and the other deep inside a Sharjah desert, Mleiha.
According to the Dubai Astronomy Group, which is hosting a special viewing event on the Jebel Jais, the Perseids “usually put on a good show and this year may produce up to 100 meteors per hour at a dark site”.
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Known for their bright shooting stars, the Perseids meteor shower often produces ‘fireballs’, which are “larger explosions of light and colour” that last longer than an average meteor streak.
The shower occurs every year when the Earth passes through the debris left by the comet Swift-Tuttle. “This debris burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating bright streaks of light in the night sky. The meteors appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, hence the name Perseids,” the DAG explained.
The Perseids are considered one of the “most reliable” meteor showers, offering consistent displays year after year.
Though the meteor shower is active from mid-July to late August, it peaks on the night of August 12 and the morning of the next day.
Many UAE residents travel deep into the desert or scale a mountain to view celestial spectacles.
“Keep in mind the weather will be hot and humid this time of year in the desert, so dress accordingly. Jebel Jais, being at a higher altitude, offers pleasant weather conditions,” said the DAG, which will host its event from 10pm to 3am.
Sharjah’s Mleiha Archaeological Centre said the Perseids meteor shower is known for its “dazzling display of shooting stars”. It has prepared a special campsite in the Mleiha desert for its guided viewing event from 7pm to 1am.