To All Fellow Star Gazers And Night Owls - Perseid Meteor Shower

Hi folks, I just wanted to give a heads up to all the fellow star gazers and night owls that the Perseid Meteor Shower is starting to show and will be coming to it's climax on August 12th and 13th.

The Perseid meteor shower has begun, with this year's display expected to peak during the waning of the moon creating perfect viewing conditions.

The shower will be visible in the night sky between July 17 and August 24 and will peak between August 12 and 13.

This coincides nearly perfectly with the darkest phase of the moon, which will be a thin crescent during the peak - reducing one of the biggest light pollutants in the night sky.

Perseid meteor shower: What is it and is this the best year to see it?

What is the Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseid meteor shower is caused by debris falling from the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle when it comes into contact with the Earth’s atmosphere. The comet orbits the Sun every 133 years.

The meteors, mostly no bigger than a grain of sand, burn up as they hit the atmosphere at 58 kilometres (36 miles) per second to produce a shooting stream of light in the sky.

Don't forget to make a wish.

Cheers

a reply to: nerbot

I was just reading about it. And thanks for posting as it will help me remember to look.

Planning to mark my calendar for the week up to August 12, which is supposed to be the zenith of the shower activity. At least according to MLive

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Yup, weather permitting I'm going to mark the evening of August 12th and set up the sun lounger on the middle of my lawn with some snacks and drinks and a big fur blanket I have.

I'm glad I live in the middle of nowhere in the French countryside. I say hello to our friends out there every time I go for a nightime pee, whether they see me or not...le lol.

a reply to: nerbot

Happy viewing. We may have too many trees for a good view, but I'll try anyway.

Doing a gig today. Outdoors, thousands of people...not saying how many as to not give it away. Clear skies. We will get done about 3am...seeing one or two would be a perfect end of a great day of music.

Thanks for the heads up!

a reply to: nerbot

I remember being out of any unnatural light in the bush watching an incredible display. Humbling

a reply to: InTheEther

First time I experienced the Perseid Meteor Shower I was renovating the roof on my first house here in France and sat right up on the top of the chimmney with a bottle of red.

Amazing stuff.

a reply to: nerbot
Thanks for the heads up! I am going to have to write this on the calendar!

Thanks OP !

Also, Don't forget that you can also hear them and see their electronic frequency displays on

Live Meteors Website

Lucky for me I have a state park perfect for this under an hour away. Definitely worth checking out on the zenith.

19 hours of sunlight still, I might be able to catch the tale end of it when we move into our house.

From the house we will be able to see all sorts of stuff in the sky west of us.

originally posted by: tonyadams

 

off-topic post removed to prevent thread-drift

 

Oooh, a shooting star grazing our atmosphere never to be seen again.

Make a wish everyone.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: nerbot

Happy viewing. We may have too many trees for a good view, but I'll try anyway.

Trees are for climbing and hammocks don't weigh much.

A quick bump to remind you that August 12th/13th is upon us, and the peak of the Perseid Meteor shower.

Happy wishing.

To many wild fires, ill be up late hopefully we get enough of a breeze to see something but still have dense smoke advisory.

originally posted by: nerbot
A quick bump to remind you that August 12th/13th is upon us, and the peak of the Perseid Meteor shower.

Happy wishing.

Thank-you. I'll be looking up later 2nite. (Chicago area)