Astronomy Village in Istria

The most charming sight is around August 12, when the sky is assaulted by prolific meteor showers associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. On August 10 and 11, and especially August 12, the Earth moves through a cloud of dust and steam and these particles collide with the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 200,000 kilometres per hour, boiling off and unleashing a meteor shower in the sky. This event is known among astronomers as the Perseids, but it is commonly referred to as the tears of St. Lawrence since it appears exactly on St. Lawrence's Day.

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