Best spots in Croatia to watch the Perseid meteor shower this week

ZAGREB, 10 August 2020 – Stargazers in Croatia, particularly in spots outside the main centres, will get the chance to catch one of the brightest and most visible meteor showers of the year this week. 

The impressive Perseid meteor shower display, known in Croatia as ‘Suze Sv. Lovre’ (Tears of St. Lawrence), is considered to be one of the most spectacular celestial displays. 

The Perseid meteor shower has been visible every year since at least 2,000 years ago. Usually up to 100 meteors per hour fall during the peak, but this year, the August moon will be slightly past its last quarter phase making it tougher to see all those shooting stars.

For the best possible experience, the Croatian Astronomical Society suggests watching on the night of 12 August and in the early hours of 13 August. There will be a chance to watch the night before also (11-12 August).

With visibility clearer in less polluted areas, Places outside of the main cities in Croatia will have the best views. 

The best places to watch organised events this year if you are in Croatia, according to the Croatian Astronomical Society. The best time to see the display is from 0:30 a.m. until dawn. 

Places in Croatia with organised astronomical observations:

DARUVAR

When: 12.08. – od 22:00 do 00:00
Place: Park tamnog neba Vrani kamen – Petrov vrh
Organiser: Astronomsko društvo Kumova Slama

FUŽINE

When: 12.08. – od 21:30 do 01:00
Place: Roswell selo (Fužine)
Organiser: Akademsko astronomsko društvo Rijeka

KRIŽEVCI

When: 11.08. – od 21:00 do 00:00
Place: Tehnološki park (Križevci)
Organiser: Križevačka astronomska udruga Perzeidi

LOŠINJ

When: 12.08. – od 21:00 do 23:00
Place: Plaža Artatore (Artatore)
Organiser: Astronomsko društvo „Leo Brenner“

SPLIT

When: 11.08. – od 20:30 do 01:30
Place: Zvjezdarnica u Gornjem Sitnom
Organiser: Zvjezdano selo Mosor

STRAŽINEC

When: 12.08. – od 21:00 do 00:00
Place: Stražinec (mjesto desetak kilometara udaljeno od Križevaca)
Organiser: Križevačka astronomska udruga Perzeidi

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBSERVERS:

• do not look directly at the radiant (the starting point of the meteor swarm) there you will notice the least meteors

• no special equipment is required to observe meteors (telescopes, binoculars)

• Meteors are observed with the naked eye lying on the ground, and it takes at least 30 minutes in the dark for your eyes to adapt to night conditions.

• it is necessary to move away from the space where there is lighting and light pollution in the best possible darkness

• You need a mat, lounger or sleeping bag that you can lie on when observing