Newsroom
If you are outside tonight, step away from the lights, put down your phone for a few minutes, and look up. Cyprus is expected to have one of its best views in years of the Perseid meteor shower.
The annual display peaks overnight Wednesday into early Thursday, when up to 100 meteors an hour could be visible under perfect conditions, according to the Troodos Observatory.
This year brings an added bonus: There will be virtually no moonlight to wash out the sky. That means even fainter meteors should be easier to spot.
Despite their nickname, “shooting stars” are not stars at all. They are tiny pieces of dust and rock left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. When they enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, they burn up and create the bright streaks we see overhead.
No telescope or special equipment is needed. In fact, the best way to watch is simply to find the darkest open space possible, sit back and give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust.
City lights will make the display harder to see, so mountain and countryside locations will offer the best views. Troodos Square, the Troodos Botanic Garden, Pissouri and Petra tou Romiou are among the suggested viewing spots. Wherever you go, choose somewhere safe and avoid stopping along dark roads.
Several organized events are also taking place. Stargazing begins at 8 p.m. at the Amiantos Astropark and Troodos Observatory in Agridia, while an astronomy evening at Ayios Arsenios Church in Kyperounta starts at 9 p.m.
Visitors heading into the mountains should bring a jacket; August in Nicosia may feel like an oven, but Troodos after dark is another story. A blanket or reclining chair will also save your neck.
The display should become more impressive as the night grows darker, with some of the best viewing expected late at night and before dawn.
A total solar eclipse is also taking place Wednesday, but unlike the Perseids, it will not be visible from Cyprus.
For tonight’s main attraction, all you need is a dark sky, a little patience and perhaps a wish or two.
