This weekend will see the peak of one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year: the Perseids. The shower occurs around this time each year as Earth passes through a cloud of debris left in its orbit by a comet called Swift-Tuttle. The comet orbits the sun just once every 133 years, but over its time it has left a “river of rubble” across Earth’s orbit. When the planet passes through this river, the tiny pieces of debris burn up in the atmosphere and create a stunning lightshow in the sky.
The Perseids are generally one of the best meteor showers for sky-watchers, but this year the timing is particularly good due to the phase of the moon. As the moon is a source of bright light in the sky, when it is full it can create glare that makes meteors harder to see. This weekend the moon is only in its first quarter, and will affect viewing before midnight. “But as the Moon sets before midnight local time, the rest of the night is primed for perfect viewing circumstances,” said Diana Hannikainen, observing editor at Sky & Telescope.
The peak of the shower is on Monday, August 12, but you can look out for the shower from Sunday, August 11. A helpful illustration from Sky & Telescope shows where to look for the Perseids in the sky, with the center point that they appear to originate from — called the radiant — highlighted in yellow.
To enjoy the best views of the meteor shower, you’ll need to be somewhere with clear skies with no cloud cover. You also want to be as far as you can get from bright light sources like city lights. You’ll need to give your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness, so make yourself comfortable somewhere outside and expect to wait around 20 to 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust.
“And do resist looking at your phone during this time — or at any time during the night — because the harsh, bright light from the screen will wash away whatever dark adaptation you’ve built up,” Hannikainen said.
Also, if you’re heading out for a night of stargazing, then do be prepared for it to be cold, even during the summer. Sitting still for long periods outside can be chilly, so wrap up warm and don’t forget a spare blanket, and hopefully you can enjoy a gorgeous natural wonder of the sky.
