Around this time every year, the Earth passes through a trail of cosmic debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. When that debris enters Earth’s atmosphere approximately 60 miles above the surface, it burns up in a flash that can be observed with the naked eye. We know the event as the Perseid meteor showers, and they peak this week. Reporter Mike Lipsitz tells us how to get a good look…
The Perseids began around July 17 and continue through the third week of August with the heaviest concentration of visible meteorites occurring late night on tonight (Tuesday, August 11) and into the wee hours the morning of Wednesday, August 12. The first meteors should be visible starting around 10 p.m. and continue until sunrise just after 4:30 a.m. with the heaviest concentration occurring from 3 to 4 a.m.
The best views will be from any location with an unobstructed view of the night sky and away from city lights and traffic. Give your eyes 15 to 20 minutes to adjust to the dark.
The meteorites, as many as one or two dozen an hour, can appear from any direction. At almost half full, the moon will cause some interference; it rises just before 12:30 a.m.
If you can’t watch Wednesday, the shower’s peak continues through the weekend.
