People in the Sultanate will have a wonderful celestial treat this week, when the Sultanate’s skies receive a barrage of perseids that will peak on the night of Thursday, 12 August 2021. The perseids shower will continue till 24 August.

Perseids are among the most common summer night meteor showers. In the evening of Thursday, the meteors are expected to fall at a rate of 60 an hour and at a speed of up to 72 km/sec.

Ibrahim Mohammed al-Mahrouqi, member of Oman Astronomical Society, said that the annual meteor showers are predictable and that they can last for days, if not weeks, as is the case with perseids, which began entering Oman skies in July and will continue till the end of August.

Al-Mahrouqi pointed out that the nights of 11, 12 and 13 August 2021are the best time to monitor perseids whose dazzling shower peaks at 10 pm, Thursday 12 August, till 4 am on Friday, 13 August.

This time, sky gazers will be doubly entertained through the sighting of system giant Jupiter, as well as Saturn, the gleaming golden planet known for its famous rings.