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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Stargazers enjoy meteor spectacle | Stargazers enjoy meteor spectacle |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Thousands of people in the northern hemisphere have witnessed a spectacular light show of shooting stars, known as the Perseid meteor shower. | Thousands of people in the northern hemisphere have witnessed a spectacular light show of shooting stars, known as the Perseid meteor shower. |
| The annual event coincided with a new Moon, providing stargazers with the best viewing conditions for years. | The annual event coincided with a new Moon, providing stargazers with the best viewing conditions for years. |
| The shower lasts about two weeks, but reached its peak overnight on Sunday. | The shower lasts about two weeks, but reached its peak overnight on Sunday. |
| It was most apparent in the north-east part of the sky near the Perseus constellation - prime viewing locations were Western Europe and North America. | It was most apparent in the north-east part of the sky near the Perseus constellation - prime viewing locations were Western Europe and North America. |
| Dr Robert Massey from the UK's Royal Astronomical Society said that as many as 100 meteors an hour would have been visible where the sky was clearest and darkest. | Dr Robert Massey from the UK's Royal Astronomical Society said that as many as 100 meteors an hour would have been visible where the sky was clearest and darkest. |
| Tiny particles | Tiny particles |
| The annual Perseid showers are caused by small bits of debris, many no bigger than a grain of sand, that enter the Earth's atmosphere when our orbit passes through the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet. | The annual Perseid showers are caused by small bits of debris, many no bigger than a grain of sand, that enter the Earth's atmosphere when our orbit passes through the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet. |
| These particles travel at very high speeds, reaching up to 50km per second (32 miles per second), and burn up in the atmosphere. | These particles travel at very high speeds, reaching up to 50km per second (32 miles per second), and burn up in the atmosphere. |
| This causes the air around them to get extremely hot, which produces the visible streak of light. | This causes the air around them to get extremely hot, which produces the visible streak of light. |
| David Hughes, professor of astronomy at the University of Sheffield said the particles typically burned up at 97 to 193km (60 to 120 miles) above the Earth's surface. | |
| "We should have been able to see these things - I'm sure - for millennia. The first record of these is about 1,000 years ago," Professor Hughes told the BBC. | |
| The Perseids were traditionally known as the "tears of St Lawrence" because they often appeared around the saint's feast day. | |
| "It's a spectacular phenomenon that everyone can enjoy. The great thing is that you don't need any equipment apart from your eyes," Dr Massey said. | "It's a spectacular phenomenon that everyone can enjoy. The great thing is that you don't need any equipment apart from your eyes," Dr Massey said. |
| "It's a laid back form of astronomy. You can go outside, look up at the sky and enjoy it." | "It's a laid back form of astronomy. You can go outside, look up at the sky and enjoy it." |
| As an added bonus, watchers should have been able to see Mars, which was set to be in view as a bright red dot in the eastern sky after midnight. | As an added bonus, watchers should have been able to see Mars, which was set to be in view as a bright red dot in the eastern sky after midnight. |
| Did you see the spectacle? Send us your experiences using the form below. | Did you see the spectacle? Send us your experiences using the form below. |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to 61124 or if you have a large file you can click here to upload. Click here to see terms and conditions | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to 61124 or if you have a large file you can click here to upload. Click here to see terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |