Perseid meteor shower to light up Kingdom’s skies

AMMAN — Jordanians will be able to observe the Perseid meteor shower, which will light up the Kingdom’s skies as of Tuesday midnight, Chief Islamic Justice Department Astronomer Imad Mujahed said Sunday.

The shooting stars will fill the Kingdom’s skies until August 20, he added.

The peak of the Perseid meteor shower will be from Tuesday midnight until Wednesday at dawn and from Wednesday midnight until Thursday at dawn, he said.

“The shooting stars can also be seen during the day, as this phenomenon will continue until the 20th of the month,” the astronomer added.

“It will be a very enjoyable scene. This happens every year but this year the skies will be brighter due to the large number of comets that will be seen across the country,” he said.

On average, up to 100 comets will be observed per hour, Mujahed said over the phone.

The showers will peak on Tuesday at midnight due to the debris trail or “dusty river”, left by the comet Swift-Tuttle, which leaves streaks as it approaches the sun every 130 years, he explained.

Swift-Tuttle was discovered by Lewis Swift on July 16, 1862 and then again by Horace Parnell Tuttle on July 19, 1862.