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Every August, a special natural spectacle can be observed in Berlin (and all over the world) - when the Earth passes over the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle and the Perseids meteor shower and thousands of shooting stars rain down from the firmament.
During this event, up to 100 shooting stars per hour may be visible in the sky. A true meteor shower is expected especially on the night of August 12–13, that is, on the night leading into Wednesday. Between mid-July and late August, significantly more shooting stars than usual will streak across the sky.
According to astronomers, the best time to observe the meteors is between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Bright meteors, that is, those that shine particularly brightly, can also be seen in brighter areas, although, of course, darker locations are still preferable. For the full shooting star experience, there's really only one thing missing: a night sky that's as clear and cloudless as possible.
Dr. Monika Staesche, scientific director of the Planetarium am Insulaner and the Wilhelm Foerster Observatory, advises Berliners to take a trip to the Berlin countryside on that night. "Shooting stars are best observed with the naked eye in places with a free horizon view far away from the light of the city, for example in the star park in Gülpe or everywhere where free fields offer a large field of vision." Gülpe in the Westhavelland Nature Park is considered the darkest place in Germany.
The Planetarium Berlin Foundation invites stargazers to the Long Night of Astronomy on August 12. At the Zeiss Großplanetarium, visitors can observe not only the Perseid meteor shower but also the solar eclipse. Experts will be on hand during the event to explain the astronomical principles behind solar eclipses. The program will be complemented by short fulldome films and live streams that showcase this natural spectacle from various perspectives.
It is an ancient superstition: Whoever sees a shooting star may make a wish. But be careful: the wish must remain unspoken under all circumstances, otherwise it will not come true. Some stories go even further, stating that the wish must be thought through to the end of the glow, so that it comes true. The origin of this belief is unknown. What all theories have in common is that people hoped for supernatural assistance at the sight of the rare and divine-looking ray of light
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