Every August we see a lot of meteors and the Perseid meteor shower is probably the most spectacular. The second week of August is when the Delta Aquarid meteor shower is rolling along nicely, I have seen many a shooting star the past two weeks. Overlapping that event is the Perseid meteor shower, which kicks into high gear on August 12th until about the 24th. This year you will get the best views before the full moon on the 18th. The rate is usually around eighty per hour but this year we could see as many as a hundred and fifty an hour. As the meteor shower radiant moves higher into the sky late at night, you will be able to see more and more. Don’t rule out early evening for a chance to see an Earthgazer, a loooong slow, colorful meteor traveling horizontal, many of us saw one during the blue moon rise while at the beach. These earthhgazer meteors are rare, but are the most memorable. The Perseid earth gazers only show up when the radiant is close to the horizon in early to mid evening.
Every year from around July 17th to August 24 the earth passes through the comet debris trail of the Swift-Tuttle comet. This is the parent of the Perseid meteor shower. Debris from the comet’s orbit produces these meteors when it slams into the earth’s atmosphere. We don’t get into the thick of the debris trail until about this time of the year in August. Find a nice dark area, get a lawn chair, and look up. It can take up to 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark skies. The best viewing times are early morning, so if you are a early riser or a night owl, you will have a chance at seeing the best show. Don’t forget the Delta Aquarids are adding to the mix, so you don’t necessarily have to look in the direction of the constellation Perseus, which is the radiant point of the meteors, but it helps.
Fish On!!
Rich King