It’s nearly time for the peak of the annual Perseids meteor shower and hopefully, skies will be clear for the celestial fireworks.
Chris Curwin of Astronomy by the Bay Facebook group says the earth has been passing through the remnants of the tail of the comet Swift/Tuttle since late July.
“The best time to see the most meteors is August 12th or 13th evening so Monday into Tuesday, it takes us several weeks to pass through what’s left of the comet’s tail,” stated Curwin.
Peak night usually means 100 per hour but because of the brightness of the moon expect around 50 per hour on those nights, in the northeastern sky especially after midnight.
“When you look to the northeast you will see this W-shaped constellation that is Cassiopeia and just below that will be Perseus, so look for the meteors to come from that area, the higher Perseus is up in the sky the more you will get to see,” stated Curwin.
So grab a blanket, chair and a warm beverage and lay back and watch the celestial fireworks after midnight on Monday as the annual Perseids meteor shower comes to a peak.
