Perseid meteor shower to peak with dozens of shooting stars per hour on Monday night
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most popular astronomy events in the night sky. Peak shower is typically a hundred meteors per hour on a clear summer night, but the moon will wash out some of the meteors. Here's how you can still enjoy the show.
Shooting stars are about to rain down from the heavens and illuminate the night sky as the best meteor shower of the entire year, known as the Perseids, reaches its peak. However, clouds may interfere with some stargazers' plans to watch the celestial light show.
“The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower as they peak on warm August nights as seen from the Northern Hemisphere,“ the American Meteor Society (AMS) explained on their website.
This year, the peak of the highly anticipated meteor shower falls on the night of Monday, Aug. 12, into the early morning hours of Tuesday, Aug. 13, according to the AMS.
A meteor streaks across the sky during the Perseid meteor shower near Kraljevine on mountain Smetovi in the early morning August 12, 2015. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
Not only does the shower peak during the warm nights of mid-August, but it boasts an impressive number of meteors, second only to the Geminids in December.
“Up to 100 meteors per hour will occur during the peak night,” AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said.
“Perseids are not only numerous, they are beautiful. Most of the meteors leave a glittering trail as they pass,” Samuhel said. “They are multi-colored and many are bright.”
However, this year the moon is likely to play a role in the number of shooting stars able to be seen on the peak night. The nearly-full moon will be shining bright nearly all night long, making it difficult to see many of the dimmer meteors. Cloudy conditions may also be an issue for some spectators.
Cloud-free conditions will lead to uninterrupted viewing conditions for some of the best stargazing locations across the country on Monday night as the Perseids peak. This includes most of the western United States and the southern Plains.
Patchy clouds could interfere with viewing for many across the southeastern U.S., but there should be enough breaks in the clouds to see some of the Perseids on Monday night.
Although onlookers in big cities, such as Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Phoenix are forecast to have favorable weather, they may want to consider traveling to a darker area away from the light pollution in the city.
Unfortunately for those across the Northeast, Great Lakes and most of Canada, clouds are in the forecast that will obscure the sky most of the night.
See also: Meteor shower viewing conditions for Europe
If clouds spoil the celestial light show in your back yard, you can watch the meteor shower on NASA TV. The broadcast will begin around 9 p.m. EDT.
When to see the Perseids
Shooting stars will be most numerous on Monday night into Tuesday morning, but this is not the only time when stargazers can see some of the shower.
“People should consider viewing meteors during the nights leading up to the peak,” Samuhel said. “There will still be plenty of meteors, and, you will not have to battle as much moonlight.”
As for when to head outside under the stars, folks may want to brew a cup of coffee if they hope to see the Perseids in all their glory.
“The Perseids are most active after midnight through daybreak. However, there are so many meteors during this shower, don't hesitate to view during the evening,” Samuhel said.
Where to look during the meteor shower
As with every meteor shower, the Perseids are named after the part of the sky in which they originate, known as the radiant point. If you trace back all of the meteors during the upcoming shower, they will all originate from a part of the sky near the constellation Perseus.
The radiant point will be in the northeastern sky, but you do not need to focus on this area of the sky to see the meteor shower. In fact, meteors will be able to be seen in all areas of the sky.
Due to the moon, spectators this year should try to keep the moon out of their sight and look to the darkest part of the sky. This will help to increase the odds of seeing some meteors.
After the Perseids, stargazers will need to wait until October for the next opportunity to watch a meteor shower.
The Draconid meteor shower is the next meteor shower to mark on your calendar, which falls on Oct. 8, followed by the Orionid meteor shower, which will take place on Oct. 21.
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