My absolute favourite meteor shower every year is the Perseids. They’re not the most spectacular meteors of the year, but the weather’s nice and warm here in Canada. We always head back home to Hornby Island to visit the family at Perseid time to enjoy them with nice dark skies. We keep the kids awake as long as possible, and then lay back on a mattress, enjoying the sky show.
And this year’s going to be a great one: no moon.
That’s right, there’s going to be a new moon on Sunday, August 12th, the exact same time that the Perseid shower is peaking. Without the glare of the Moon, the meteors will be at their brightest. But to really enjoy the show, you’ll want to head outside your city, away from the glare.
Like all meteor showers, the Perseids get their name from the constellation the meteors originate from. The constellation is in the northeast. As soon as it starts to get dark, you should start seeing meteors streaking across overhead. It’ll probably just be a couple every minute, but by early morning, when the shower is peaking, you could even see a few dozen a minute.
And as a special bonus, Mars is going to be in the sky as well. It’ll appear to be a bright red star also in the northeast.
I want you to organize something for the Perseids this year. Gather together some great friends, head somewhere dark, and plan to enjoy a great show. Put it on your calendar right now.
Promise?
Original Source: NASA