Vietnam is hard to observe the largest meteor shower of the year

The dawn of the 13th and 14th is the peak of Perseids, the largest meteor shower of the year, but the weather in Vietnam is not favorable to observe this amazing phenomenon.

Chairman of Vietnam Young Astronomical Club Dang Vu Tuan Son said that the meteor shower Perseids appeared from July 23 to August 22, but with small density, reaching the maximum level tomorrow morning and day. that. At the extreme, observers can see more than 60 meteors per hour, part of which is a long and bright meteor.

Perseids meteor shower above the mountains north of Geneva capital of Switzerland on August 12, 2009. (Photo: National Geographic)

According to Mr. Tuan Son, the viewer should look towards the northeast sky and the best observation time is around 2:00 am to 4:00 am, because the moon is now moving towards the western sky and southwest, so no much influence on observing meteor shower.

"The only obstacle to observing is not the light of the full moon, but it is important that the weather in recent days is very erratic, it is cloudy at night. If the weather is good, this will be one of the two largest meteor showers of the year can be observed, " Tuan Son said.

Astronomers recommend that if the sky is not cloudy, the observer needs to choose a location with a wide viewing angle, without being directly illuminated by the light. The best observation posture is lying on your back.

"Without telescopes or binoculars, astronomers can still see with the naked eye because the speed of each meteor is more than 30 km / s, so at the magnification of the telescope and binoculars, The angular velocity will multiply many times and cannot keep up with the chasing lens to see , " Tuan Son said.

According to Le Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Central Hydrometeorological Center, in the two days of April 13 and 14, the sky in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is difficult to observe meteor shower."The night sky may have light rain, or the weather is cloudy, cloudy. Da Nang alone is a bit more optimistic , " Hai said.

Truong Ngoc Khanh, chairman of Hanoi Amateur Astronomical Association, said the club did not implement the observation observation plan due to the weather's lack of support. In Da Nang, the plan is also canceled.

Along with Geminids meteor shower in mid-December, Perseids are one of the two largest meteor showers in our atmosphere every year.