Every year between the 17th July and the 24th August, the Earth passes through a trail of debris left by the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet was discovered in 1862 but records of the Perseids date back to 36AD. As the Earth passes through the debris, the dust is drawn to the Earth’s atmosphere. A tiny speak of dust can burn spectacularly in the night sky. As many as 60 – 100 meteors per hour can be seen in a clear sky in the countryside. Travelling at around 37 miles per second the meteors heat up to somewhere in the region of 3000 degrees Fahrenheit and either vaporise or explode. As a result of this, the August sky in the Northern Hemisphere is filled with glorious streaks of light – shooting stars. If you have a wish to make, now might be a good time to catch a falling star! Continue reading →