This weekend, the famous Perseids Meteor Shower will light up the skies of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On both Saturday and Sunday evenings, locals shouldn’t have any trouble seeing the show. The peak of the 2023 Perseid meteor shower is expected to occur on the evening of August 12 and continue into the morning of August 13, according to the Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG).
Up to one hundred meteors per hour might be visible under ideal conditions, especially at darker places. This occurs right around the time of a new Moon, which results in darker sky and an overall better viewing experience.
The meteor shower is due to Earth moving through dust and fragments left over from the comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet, which last passed so close to Earth in 1992, is the largest known object to do so. The following arrival is expected to be in the year 2126.
How can you see meteor shower in UAE
- To get the most out of your watching, look for the darkest spots you can find.
- Not even binoculars or a telescope are needed.
- Get there early so that your eyes have a chance to acclimate to the dark.
- Consider the heat and the humidity when packing.
- On August 12th, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., there will be a DAG event in Dubai’s Al Awir Desert. Telescope viewings and astrophoto sessions can be had for as little as AED 200.
Alternately, at 6 PM, there will be a party for people of all ages at the Mleiha campsite. Participate in meteor shower-themed quizzes, presentations, and telescope viewings. There will be refreshments for purchase. The lowest price for tickets is AED 200.
It’s worth noting that 2023 has been an exceptional year for astronomical phenomena easily seen from the United Arab Emirates. The June Bootod meteor shower was an annual event that occurred in June. In March, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Mars were all in a line with one another, making for a rare astronomical event. This year also saw the first close visit to Earth by Comet 2022 E3 in over 50,000 years.
To read our article about “”8 more countries now eligible for visit e-visas to Saudi Arabia click here.
