The Perseid Meteor Showers Peak Tonight
The Perseid meteor showers always provide some wide-eyed wonder, especially in the northern hemisphere, look to the skies tonight, when they will be most visible.
The national weather service is calling for a clear night so the Perseids should provide some awesome displays in the early morning skies.
The best time to sky watch is shortly after midnight tonight, but before the moon can rise into the sky, this will cause some shading of the displays, but the Perseids are bright, so you still may see several during those times.
Look to the norther eastern sky, however the Perseids can be seen sailing across the sky in different directions, providing a wide view for Sky Gazers.
Also give yourself a wide view of the sky, the showers are much easier to trace with ample sky in view.
How many, it all depends, the typical watch can provide up to 50 meteors per hour at the peak, which is tonight and tomorrow.
If you’re not able to watch over the peak performance, the showers will still be visible throughout the month, although not as many, but certainly enough to enjoy.
Here’s another viewing tip based on personal experience, I usually get a reclining lawn chair, and set it up in an ideal viewing area, it’s a lot easier on the neck and back.
Occasionally you get to see what is called an Earthgrazer, which is a long colorful meteor streaking across the sky, it’s an amazing site, but rare.
So get in an afternoon nap, or go to bed early, and set you alarm to get up and enjoy one of the highlights of the summer, The Perseid Meteor Showers.
[via earthsky.org]