Skywatchers in eastern Türkiye's Van gathered at the 2,600-meter-high Alandeşt Plateau to witness the Perseid meteor shower, one of the year’s most spectacular natural events.
The event, organized by the Vadi Outdoor Sports Club in the Çatak district, brought astronomy enthusiasts together for telescope observations and naked-eye viewing of the meteor shower.
Participants, who traveled 80 kilometers (49.70 miles) to the high-altitude plateau, received guidance from astronomy experts on space observation, meteor showers and astrophotography.
Astronomer Sadi Akın told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the Perseid meteor shower is a special annual sky event.
“We came with a group of 26 nature enthusiasts. We chose this area because of its high altitude and nearly zero light pollution. Our participants came prepared, and we are watching the sky with excitement,” Akın said.
Hüseyin Demez, a member of the Vadi Outdoor Sports Club, said the group was witnessing a beautiful natural event.
“We timed our skywatching event to coincide with the meteor shower. We are at a high altitude far from settlements, which makes it an ideal location to observe the meteors. The participants are very enthusiastic,” he said.
Twelve-year-old Işık Şen, who attended with her father, said, “We set up tents, lit a fire, and then learned about constellations. Attending this event was really fun for me.”
