The Perseus meteor shower is expected to peak on the night of August 12 of this year.
Zack Cobbs/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The Perseid meteor shower is often considered the best meteor shower of the year due to its high frequency of sightings and pleasant late-summer temperatures, according to NASA. Unlike last year’s shower which coincided with the full moon, this year’s moon will be a waning crescent, allowing for fainter meteors to be seen.
NASA’s All Sky Fireball Network detected the first Perseid meteor of the year on July 26.
NASA/All Sky Fireball Network
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NASA said the Perseids are known for their fireballs, which are larger explosions of light and color that can last longer than the trajectory of an ordinary meteor. The space junk that interacts with our atmosphere to create the Perseids comes from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, first discovered by Louis Swift and Horace Tuttle in 1862. It orbits the Sun once every 133 years, last visiting the inner solar system in 1992. Sparkling Meteorite The point in the sky from which the Perseids seem to originate is located near the constellation Perseus, which gives it its name.
The meteors are best seen in the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, although it is sometimes possible to see them as early as 10 p.m., according to NASA. “People in the United States can reasonably expect to see about 40 Perseids per hour just before dawn on peak nights,” Bill Cook, who heads NASA’s Meteorite Environment Office, said in a statement. “It’s one minute every two minutes, which isn’t bad. However, we assume that you are in the countryside, far from cities and suburbs.”
Brighter skies in suburban areas reduce rates significantly, with 10 or less expected within the hour. “All you need to see the show is clear skies, darkness, and a little patience,” NASA said. “You don’t have to look in any particular direction; Meteors can usually be seen anywhere in the sky.”
