Keep your eyes on the sky: the annual Perseid meteor shower has begun and will continue to increase over the next several weeks.
The Perseids, typically one of the most energetic and reliable meteor showers, are created by Earth passing through the path of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle. According to NASA, the annual summer meteor shower is capable of producing up to 50 to 100 meteors per hour in clear skies.
What’s more, Perseid meteors can feature long-lasting colorful tails that create streaks of light across the sky with potentially brighter fireballs.
The Perseids River begins on July 14th this year and will last until September 1st, peaking overnight on August 12th until the early morning hours of August 13th. Meteor sightings will gradually increase between now and that peak night, after which they will decrease rapidly.
This year the Perseids peak a few days before the new moon on August 16th. This can create great conditions for watching the night sky because it creates the darkest sky possible making the fainter meteor shower easier to see.
You’ll be able to see the meteor shower as early as 10 p.m., but it will get more abundant as the night goes on. In the Northern Hemisphere, the best viewing will come during the pre-dawn hours.
No binoculars or telescopes are needed to see the Perseids but the experience is best when seen under dark skies as far away from light pollution as possible. Make sure you are dressed for the weather and then sit back and enjoy as much of the sky as you can. It will take about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
Also important – put down your phone. The light from your phone will interfere with your eye’s ability to adjust to the dark and catch shooting stars.
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