The wait is over and stargazers are watching for one of the top-rated meteor showers of the year, but clouds could disrupt the event for about one-third of the United States.
The Perseid meteor shower will peak on Tuesday night until early Wednesday morning, a reliable meteor shower that puts a show year in and year out.
“The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower, as they peak on warm August nights as seen from the northern hemisphere,” the American Meteor Society (AMS) explained on its website.
This year, spectators can expect to see between 50 and 75 meteors per hour under dark skies, which average about one meteor per minute.
“The Geminid meteor shower in December produces about the same number of meteors. Both showers produce about four times more than any other shower in the year that normally does,” said AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel.
One major difference between the Perseids and the Geminids is the weather. August typically has more pleasant stargazing weather for the Perseids compared to the cold and often cloudy conditions of December around the peak of the Geminids.
As with any meteor shower, the best time to look is when the radiant point of the shower is the highest in the air. The number of meteors to be seen will gradually increase as the radiant point moves higher in the air.
“They are called Perseids since the radiant (the area of the sky where the meteors seem to originate) is located near the prominent ray of Perseus,” the AMS explained.
Contrary to popular belief, skywatchers do not have to look at radiant point to see the meteor shower – – shooting stars will be visible streaks across all areas of the sky.
The radiant point for the Perseids will rise above the horizon at 11pm local time and will continue to climb higher in the air as the night progresses. However, the moon is set to die for about 1 hour local time and will bring with it natural light pollution, making it more difficult to see some of the brave meteors.
Because of this, the best window for viewing this year’s Perseid meteor shower will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time.
“Even though the Perseids will be most active after midnight, I encourage people to search when it gets dark in the evening,” Samuhel said. “You will probably see a long-lived, bright meteor over much of the sky in the evening.”
Fans who stay out after 1 hour to watch the sky lit show should look forward to the darkest part of the sky away from the moon.
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This year, a majority of the western and central United States will have cloudless conditions for the peak of the Perseids. Favorable weather is also forecast for much of western Canada and the Canadian Prairies.
People east of the Mississippi River may have some clouds to shoot, especially across the Ohio Valley to the shores of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean.
Other areas, such as the Deep South, northern New England and in the St. Lawrence River Valley will have some breaks in the clouds that could provide opportunities to spot a few shooting stars all night.
Meteors will follow during the night after the peak remains visible, so those who find themselves under clouds Tuesday night should plan for a night under the stars later in the week as weather conditions improve. However, the number of visible meteors will gradually decrease each night.
In addition to clear water needed, a little patience is also needed for seeing the Perseids.
“Allocate a solid hour to do nothing but look for meteors,” Samuhel said. “If you only look for a few minutes, you might not see anything.”
It is important not to look at one source of light when searching for shooting stars, including screens for mobile phones.
“Make yourself comfortable. Lie back on a lounge chair, like a blanket on the grass. Do not sit in a normal chair and look up, your neck will soon become tired,” said Samuhel.
After the Perseids Pass, the next moderate shower of meteors will not occur until mid-October with the peak of the Orionids.
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