File photo: A photo of Perseid Meteors captured in 2015. NASA
The Perseid meteor shower phenomenon occurs as the Earth passes through the debris trails of the comet ‘Swift-Tuttle’.
It is considered to be the best meteor shower of the year due to its high observation rates of 50 to 100 meteors per hour, according to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The meteor’s radiant – the point in the sky from which the Perseids appear to come – is the constellation Perseus, for which the meteors are named, NASA says.
This phenomenon happens annually on the same date.
Last year’s shower coincided with the full moon making it hard to catch the meteor with the naked eye.
However, a thin crescent moon this year will allow even the fainter meteors to be seen.
These meteors are quite small; “smaller than a garden pea,” says Mark Breen, Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium senior meteorologist in remarks to the news outlet Vermont Public, adding that we see these meteors around 60 miles away from the earth.
But how can very small meteors be observed by the naked eye?
Perseid meteors are travelling at a speed of 130,000 miles per hour, Breen says.
"This is an incredible rate of speed; it is so fast that not only do they burn but they also pack the little bit of air that's in front of them so tightly that the air starts to incandesce; it glows and that's actually the light that we see."
The Perseids are best viewed during pre-dawn hours but at times it is possible to view meteors from this shower as early as 10pm, according to NASA.
The more remote one is from major cities, the clearer the sky is, allowing for a better sightseeing experience of the meteor shower.
Meteor sighting trips
Many travel companies in Egypt are organizing trips to remote areas in the desert for those who want to experience this special upcoming astronomical event.
The travel agency Foss7a, for instance, is joining with the Egyptian Astronomical Society (ESA) to offer trips to Wadi El-Hetan in Fayoum and the White Desert on Friday.
The Wadi El-Hetan trip is priced at EGP 1250. The White Desert trip costs EGP 2950 for Egyptians and $130 for foreigners.
Foss7a’s travel package to Wadi El-Hetan includes transportation with an air-conditioned bus from Cairo to the campsite, one dinner, an overnight stay in a camping tent with sleeping bags, and other activities.
The White Desert package includes transportation, a safari trip in 4X4 vehicles, meals (lunch - dinner on the first day of the safari and breakfast on the second day, sleeping bags and tents for camping, and other activities.
Go Camping is also offering a camping trip in the White Desert from Thursday to Saturday morning at a cost of EGP 2400, and another trip to Wadi El-Hetan on Friday for EGP 850.
Go Camping’s White Desert travel package includes transportation, a desert safari, breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals, along with all necessary camping equipment.
Meanwhile, the Wadi El-Hetan package includes transportation, camping equipment including sleeping bags, and evening snacks.
Chefchaoun is another travel agency offering trips to Wadi El-Hitan and the White Desert at prices of EGP 850 and EGP 2600 respectively. Prices for foreigners stand at EGP 1200 and EGP 3000, respectively.
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