Perseid Meteor Shower 2018 [Dubai]

With Very high expectations and equal enthusiasm booked my Perseid meteor shower and stargazing along with my friend through the Mleiha Archaeological Center.

I have always wanted to shoot start trails, Milky way and was hoping to get some nice shots. Being the first time ever to be shooting night skies did some hurried google searches to get tips on how to enable this shoot. As per the expert suggestions I packed my Tripod, Wide angle lens, intervelometer , extra batteries and storage card. The Mleiha archaeological center had arranged this stargazing with the beautiful backdrop of Mleiha fossil rock site which was an hours drive from our home to the Archaeological center reception and thereafter a bus would take us to the prearranged spot where there will be a presentation about the event and then we could have a look at some of the planets (Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) through the telescopes they had setup and finally enjoy the meteor showers later on the night.


The key to get great night skies is with reduced light pollution. But since the Mleiha center had also allowed people to take their own 4x4 this was being a tough ask with some one or other driving in to the location with their 4x4s and headlights.


The event started with a screen presentation of the event by astronomers from the center and then asking people to take turns to have a look at the planets through their telescopes. The hosts ensured that all the visitors were provided all the information needed regarding the skies and where to expect the Perseid meteor showers. They announced that the lights will be dimmed so that all could watch the skies clearer. The Milky way was told to have appeared right above us (which was not visible to naked eye) We hoping to capture with our camera pointed in the direction and started taking long exposure shots. The occasional vehicles were being a pain but it was not in our control. The Perseid meteor started appearing and enthusiasm level raised with people making noise whenever one spotted one. It was told that we could see at least 60 meteorites in an hour but the number was far less. the meteors were not in a straight line but appearing random in the sky making it difficult for us to capture, So we kept focused on the milky way expecting for a miracle that we may capture one such meteor streaking past in our captures (we were not lucky enough) At around 1.30 AM we decided we will pack off and call it a day.

I am yet to process the shots captured. (Please keep an eye in this page to see what we captured)
starry-night

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