The UAE was aglow as numerous shooting stars traversed the night sky on Monday night. The Perseids meteor shower, famous for generating up to 100 meteors per hour, reached its zenith on August 12.
Over 1,100 meteors cascaded from the heavens, as documented by the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre’s (IAC) surveillance cameras. The Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG), which organized a viewing event on Jebel Jais, reported that the celestial spectacle drew more than 300 onlookers. “The clear skies offered an ideal setting for a truly breathtaking display of meteors, captivating everyone present,” the group stated.
Renowned for their luminous shooting stars, the Perseids meteor shower frequently yields ‘fireballs’—“larger bursts of light and color” that endure longer than typical meteor trails. The annual event occurs when Earth navigates through the remnants of comet Swift-Tuttle. “This debris combusts in Earth's atmosphere, producing vivid streaks of light in the night sky. The meteors seem to emanate from the constellation Perseus, hence the name Perseids,” DAG elucidated.
