The famous tears of St Lawrence will light up the sky this year too. This is one of the four main meteor showers. The ideal place to observe this magical phenomenon is the Andalusian Sierra Nevada mountains. Why? Read for yourself!
Perseids will fall from the sky again
These are, according to astronomers, the most regular meteor swarms. Every year, their orbit crosses the Earth’s – between mid-July and the end of August. The Perseid swarm is related to the functioning of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862. It has a diameter of 26 kilometres and its path around the Sun takes about … 135 years. It is worth mentioning that meteors from the Perseid swarm have been observed in the sky for more than 2000 years. They are referred to as the tears of Saint Lawrence. Thus, the appearance of meteor swarms is linked to the date of his martyrdom, which took place on 10 August 258 AD.
A meteor shower is actually a phenomenon involving small dust particles of various sizes that are released by comets or asteroids orbiting the Sun. The cloud of particles, or meteoroids, is scattered by the comet’s orbit. The Earth, on the other hand, passes through it during its orbit around the Sun, and the encounter between the cloud and our planet causes the dust particles to break up, giving rise to the meteoroids.
A treat not only for astronomy enthusiasts
The ideal place to observe the Perseid swarm is in the northern hemisphere, and the perfect moment during the day to admire them is in the second half of the night and in the morning. This is when the so-called radiant is sufficiently high above the horizon. Comfortable conditions for observation are a lack of clouds, a place without excess artificial light and a clear horizon.
Hence, it is not surprising that many starry sky enthusiasts head to areas away from cities. These are ideal spaces to admire the phenomenon. When observing, it is advisable to turn directly towards the darkest areas – opposite to the position of the Moon. You should also equip yourself with something to lie on (mat, blanket, towel) and warm clothes in case it gets colder during the night.
Sierra Nevada like an open-air planetarium
One of the places that are particularly recommended as areas for Perseid sightings is the Sierra Nevada mountains. This is a range in the Betice Mountains in Andalusia, whose highest peak, Mulhacén (3478 m), is also the highest peak of the Iberian Peninsula and the European part of Spain. This year, the Perseids can be comfortably observed on 9 and 10 August, when special night cable car runs are scheduled to the Borreguiles station, located at 2,700 metres above sea level. Reservations can be made at.
The Sierra Nevada mountains are described as an area of excellent sky quality. Such places are certified as Starlight – this designation for a new form of sustainable tourism is based on the principles set out in the so-called Declaration on the Defence of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight. It identifies areas favourable to sky observation and highlights their importance as an important part of the universal natural, landscape, cultural or scientific heritage and promotes so-called ‘star tourism’ or astrotourism.
There are different types of certification. For example, Starlight Reserve is a protected natural area that establishes a commitment to protecting the quality of the night sky and access to starlight. Similarly, Starlight Tourist Destinations are places to visit that have excellent qualities for contemplating the starry skies and developing tourism activities based on them, and Starlight Accommodation are facilities with ideal conditions for astrotourism. Where to go to observe the Perseids? Check out the list of Starlight reserves that have been designated in Spain. Many of them are located in or in close proximity to Andalusia.
