Front row seats to see Perseid meteor shower

A night to observe the Perseid meteor shower will be held on Sunday at the Riverland Bio Farm in Kambia, Nicosia.

The event, organised by the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) and Riverland Bio Farm, will start at 8.30pm and end at 2am.

“Enjoy the Perseids – this year without the interference of moonlight – under the dark starry skies of the countryside, with dozens of visible shooting stars entering our atmosphere during the peak of the phenomenon, reaching up to 100 per hour,” the organisers said.

CSEO president George Danos and other scientists will be on hand giving information about the planets and constellations. Visitors are invited to bring a pillow or picnic blanket for extra comfort during the observing time. Visitors may also bring their own telescopes.

For those wishing to combine the evening with some further astronomical education, a series of space documentaries will be screened at the Riverland pavilion from 9pm.

The documentaries are “Space Probes: Cassini and the Crown Jewel”, “Breakthrough: Jupiter’s Moons and the Search for Life”, “The New Frontier: Gravity”, “Mystery Signal From Space” and “Space Phenomena: Alien Planets”.

Admission is free. Refreshments and snacks will be available for purchase at the Riverland Bio Farm booth, but guests may bring their own.