You might be able to see them too…

Turn your eyes up to the stars on the night of Wednesday, August 13, as a huge meteor shower is expected to light up the skies in the UAE. Around 60 bright meteors and shooting stars, per hour, are expected to put on a spectacular display.

The meteor shower is part of the annual Perseid shower, which started around July 17 but is predicted by astrology experts, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to be at its brightest across the world around Monday, August 11 and Tuesday, August 12.

The best time to see it in the UAE however is said to be after midnight on Tuesday, in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the Dubai Astronomy Group, who have organised a ‘Perseids Meteor Shower + Stargazing Party’ from 10pm on Tuesday evening.

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The party will take place in the Al-Qudra desert, which makes for fantastic stargazing prospects, with reduced light pollution. Tickets are priced at Dhs120 for adults, Dhs50 for children and Dhs50 for members of the Dubai Astrology Group.

Social distancing will be observed and attendees must wear face masks at all times. You can buy tickets here.

According to the group: ‘Made of tiny space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, the Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus. This is because the direction, or radiant, from which the shower seems to come in the sky lies in the same direction as Perseus.’

It continued; ‘The Perseids are widely sought after by astronomers and stargazers because most years at its peak, one can see 60 to 100 meteors in an hour from a dark place.’

The Perseid shower is expected to be so bright that you could be able to see it from home, without going to the Al Qudra Desert, so grab a blanket and get yourself set up outside to enjoy the show.

Image: @NASA