August 5, 2005

Perseid Meteor Showers Promise Celestial Fireworks

Source: Canadian Space Agency

Perseid Meteor Showers Promise Celestial Fireworks

Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield
at Tremblant beneath the stars

Longueuil, Quebec, August 5, 2005 – Stargazers across the country can expect to be dazzled by dozens of shooting stars an hour during this year's Perseid meteor showers. Skywatchers at the summit of Mont-Tremblant for the 10th annual Tremblant beneath the stars will have a spectacular view of the Perseids, featuring an evening under the stars with Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield.

Tremblant beneath the Stars (August 12-13) offers visitors a variety of educational family activities, including presentations and nature hikes to introduce novice astronomers to the night sky, as well as opportunities to learn from amateur astronomers, who will let the public look at the stars and planets through their telescopes.

Schedule

On Friday, August 12 at 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 13 at 9:30 p.m.: "The International Space Station: Canada's Contribution," by Benoît Marcotte, Director, Operations Engineering at the Canadian Space Agency and Program Manager of the Canadian Space Station Program, who will talk about Canada's contribution to the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle's return to flight.
Saturday, August 13 at 10:30 p.m. Chris Hadfield will give a presentation entitled "Our Next Steps in Space," and will discuss his two space missions.

Admission to the event

While there is no admission fee for the pedestrian village or for the Canadian Space Agency's information booth at the base of the mountain, tickets are required for the panoramic gondola ride to the summit. Tickets are good for the entire day, so be sure to come early and take advantage of the day's activities, including the breathtaking view from the mountaintop and the free activities taking place as part of Tremblant beneath the Stars.

More information on the Perseids

Each summer, as the Earth passes in the wake of Comet Swift-Tuttle, tiny bits of debris and dust (some particles as small as a grain of sand) enter the Earth's atmosphere and streak across our skies in the form of meteors. The Perseids occur between July 17 and August 24, and will peak on August 12 at 23:57* Eastern Time when the Earth passes through the most dense part of Comet Swift-Tuttle's dust trail. The best time to view the greatest number of shooting stars will be on August 12 around 22-23:00. The meteors will appear to emerge from the constellation of Perseus (from which the Perseids derive their name) located high in the northeastern sky.

* All times mentioned are local, which means that the phenomenon will be visibile at the same time in all time zones.

For more information on Tremblant beneath the Stars or the Canadian Space Program, visit the Canadian Space Agency's website.

For directions to Mont-Tremblant, visit www.tremblant.ca.

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For more information:
Media Relations
Canadian Space Agency
Telephone: (450) 926-4370