Introduction to the Perseid Meteor Shower
The Perseid meteor shower is always a highly-anticipated astronomical event. However, this year, the viewing may be more difficult than in years past.
What You Need To Know
The Perseid meteor shower has several key characteristics that viewers should be aware of:
- The Perseid meteor shower has up to 75 meteors per hour
- The best time for viewing will fall in the pre-dawn hours
- A full moon may get in the way of peak viewing
Duration and Viewing Times
The Perseid meteor shower starts Thursday, July 17 and lasts through Aug. 24. While you can spot meteors zooming across the sky any time after dark, your best opportunity will be in the few hours before sunrise.
As the night goes on, the constellation Perseus — where the meteors appear to originate — will rise higher in the northeast sky. However, you can look anywhere overhead, not just in that direction.
Peak Viewing and Meteor Frequency
Meteors will be visible through the duration of the event, but its peak is on Tuesday, Aug. 12. If you’re lucky enough to have a clear sky, you may see 50 to 75 meteors every hour.
The Perseids produce long, bright trails, making it one of the more visual annual showers.
In this long exposure photo, a streak appears in the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower in 2016. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
The Science Behind the Perseid Meteor Shower
We see the Perseids in the late summer as the Earth passes through the dust and debris that Comet Swift-Tuttle leaves behind. The “shooting stars” actually come from grains that are about the size of Grape Nuts, according to Sky & Telescope, that burn in the atmosphere as they zip by at over 130,000 miles per hour.
The nuggets of Grape Nuts cereal are a good approximation of the cometary dust grains that create meteor showers. (Courtesy of Sky & Telescope)
Challenges to Viewing the Perseid Meteor Shower
There is one fly in the ointment for this year’s Perseid viewing. The next full moon on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 9, is expected to be one of the brightest of the year. This will severely limit the number of meteors seen in the day or two leading up to and following the full moon.
This would closely coincide with the peak on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
No matter what, you’ve got plenty of time to see this premier celestial event for the next several weeks.
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Conclusion
The Perseid meteor shower is a spectacular astronomical event that offers viewers a chance to see up to 75 meteors per hour. Although this year’s viewing may be affected by a full moon, there are still plenty of opportunities to see this premier celestial event. With its long, bright trails and high meteor frequency, the Perseid meteor shower is an event not to be missed.
FAQs
Q: When does the Perseid meteor shower start and end?
A: The Perseid meteor shower starts Thursday, July 17 and lasts through Aug. 24.
Q: What is the best time for viewing the Perseid meteor shower?
A: The best time for viewing will fall in the pre-dawn hours.
Q: How many meteors can be seen per hour during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower?
A: If you’re lucky enough to have a clear sky, you may see 50 to 75 meteors every hour.
Q: Why may this year’s Perseid viewing be more difficult than in years past?
A: The next full moon on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 9, is expected to be one of the brightest of the year, which will severely limit the number of meteors seen in the day or two leading up to and following the full moon.
