[FACT OR FAKE #14] This Meteor Shower Video in Bukit Tinggi
A video was posted on YouTube claiming to be the Perseids meteor shower in Malaysia on 12 August 2013. Was the video the real deal? We find out here.
By Sadho Ram — 13 Aug 2013, 01:14 PM — Updated almost 11 years ago
Some interesting facts about Perseids and what they are!
The Perseid meteor shower has been observed for about 2,000 years, with the earliest information on this meteor shower coming from the Far East. Some Catholics refer to the Perseids as the "tears of St. Lawrence", since 10 August is the date of that saint's martyrdom.
The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The name derives in part from the word Perseides, a term found in Greek mythology referring to the sons of Perseus.
Swift-Tuttle's orbit has been traced back nearly 2,000 years and is now thought to be the same comet that was observed in 188 AD and possibly even as early as 69 BC.
space.com
A multicolored, long Perseid striking the sky just to the left of Milky Way, 2009
Image via wikimedia.orgThe stream of debris is called the Perseid cloud and stretches along the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle. The cloud consists of particles ejected by the comet as it travels on its 133-year orbit.
nationalgeographic.co.inWhen a Perseid particle enters the atmosphere, it compresses the air in front of it, which heats up. The meteor, in turn, can be heated to more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.. The intense heat vaporizes most meteors, creating what we call shooting stars.
space.com
The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the peak in activity being between 9 and 14 August, depending on the particular location of the stream. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour.
nationalgeographic.co.inWhy is it called Perseid?
The Persieds - which get their name from the constellation Perseus, where the shower appears to originate -- produce more fireballs than any other annual meteor shower, according to NASA.
Not sure how to pronounce Perseids? Here's how..
Put on your headphones and listen to the recorded voice command that correctly pronounces the word 'Perseids'.
howjsay.comPerseid meteor shower sightings in Hong Kong and rest of the world
A shooting star illuminates the night sky in Germany on 11 August 2013. Photo: Patrick Pleul/DPA
Image via itv.com
Stonehenge during the annual Perseid meteor shower. The annual Perseid meteor shower was captured in the night sky over Stonehenge in Wiltshire.
Image via itv.com
A Perseid meteor streaks by a cathedral-shaped spire early Monday in Cathedral Gorge State Park.
Image via reviewjournal.com
Hundreds of astronomy lovers enjoy the meteor shower in the aboriginal town of Atalayita in Canary Islands, Spain! EPA
Image via independent.co.ukHave something to say about this? Facebook or Tweet us!
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