Coming nights to see many shooting stars – De Standaard

Who the coming days stares at the night sky, has a lot more chance to see shooting stars than usual. On the night of Wednesday to Thursday the star rain peaked: the Royal Observatory of Belgium organizes that night the “Night of the shooting stars’, where fans can get the meteors visible from the Planetarium in Brussels

The risk of falling stars take the next few days. Cause are called Perseids, many millions of particles meteors orbiting around the sun. Each year marks the earth around August 12 this Perseids, creating many shooting stars.

The particles, most mm to a few millimeters in size, largest to own a centimeter, come into our atmosphere, where, causing a flash of light, explains Francis Verbeeck of the Royal Observatory of Belgium.

In the night from Saturday to Sunday that 20 to 25 of these particles and thus falling stars per hour. At the height of the stars rain in the night of Wednesday, August 12th, there may be bright places 80 to 100 per hour can be seen. On the night of 13 to 14 that 40 to 50 per hour, the night after 20 to 25.

If you want to admire the night sky at the height of the stars rain, may there on Wednesday, August 12th for visit the site of the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels from 22 am to 1 pm. The program will include observation of the starry sky, lectures and ‘listen to falling stars’. Registration is required at www.planetarium.be. The number of places is limited.