Perseids to spark up to 100 meteors an hour during peak this weekend
The famed summertime meteor shower is one of the top astronomy events of the year, and experts say it will be a great year for the Perseid -- as long as it isn’t cloudy.
Shooting stars will rain down on the weekend night sky on Aug. 12-13. Don’t miss out on the peak of summer’s best meteor shower, the Perseids!
Weekend stargazers are in for a treat as one of the best meteor showers of the year reaches its climax, featuring dozens of shooting stars per hour.
The Perseid meteor shower will peak on the night of Saturday, Aug. 12, into the early morning of Sunday, Aug. 13, and is expected to put on an even more impressive show than last year. In 2022, a nearly full moon washed out all but a few meteors, but significantly better conditions are anticipated this year, as only a thin crescent moon will rise near the end of the night.
Most stargazers should be able to count up to 40 to 60 shooting stars per hour, but from dark locations devoid of light pollution, that number could reach 100 visible meteors per hour.
"To view the Perseids successfully, it is suggested you watch from a safe rural area that is as dark as possible," the American Meteor Society (AMS) explained. "The more stars you can see, the more meteors will also be visible."
A few Perseid meteors one night before the 2018 Perseid Meteor Shower peak. Among the ruins at Bombay Beach on the east shore of the Salton Sea. (Getty/Kevin Key/Slworking)
Some meteors may streak across the sky shortly after nightfall, but the AMS said the best activity will not take place until the second half of the night as the shower's radiant point climbs higher in the northeastern sky.
The combination of warm August nights paired with the frenzy of meteors is why the Perseids are often touted as the best meteor shower of the year.
December's Geminid meteor shower typically boasts more shooting stars than the Perseids, but the weather is not as comfortable compared to the summertime event. Additionally, the prospects of clouds in North America are higher in December compared to August.
However, some stargazers will still encounter cloudy conditions for this weekend's celestial light show.
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AccuWeather forecasters say the western United States will have the best viewing conditions for the Perseids this weekend, as well as portions of the northern Plains and Midwest. Areas of Texas and Florida will also have favorable weather.
The weather will be more problematic for viewing the Perseids in the Northeast, central Plains and parts of the Rocky Mountains with partly to mostly cloudy conditions in the forecast.
Clouds will also be an issue in parts of the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. However, there should be enough breaks in the clouds to spot shooting stars from most of the Canadian Prairies and southern Ontario.
Meteors will continue to zip through the night sky through the middle of the month, but each night will offer onlookers views of fewer and fewer shooting stars.
The next meteor shower is the Orionids, which will peak on the night of Friday, Oct. 20, into the early morning of Saturday, Oct. 21
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