Perseid Meteor Shower (Photo – NASA).
The Perseid meteor shower happens each year as the Earth passes through a stream of ancient bits of dust and ice left in the wake of comet Swift-Tuttle.
By Rena Kurlander
The Perseid meteor shower will peak late evening of Saturday, August 12 and early morning of Sunday, August 13.
Ideal spot
“Get to a safe dark place with as wide a view as possible of the sky, especially the northeast,” according to a report from Stanford University.
Best times to view
- 10:00 pm:
The best of the show starts after 10 pm in the evening. - 3:00 am:
30 to 40 meteors per hour expected.
Facts
- Perseid meteoroids are fast.
- Large meteors may splatter, causing a fireball, and sometimes an explosion.
- The Perseids are usually best viewed in the predawn hours.
- Comet Swift-Tuttle, whose residue causes this shower, was last seen in 1992.
- Swift-Tuttle is due back in 2126.
Seeing it live
The San Gabriel Mountains area is a good start. Here are some suggestions:
- Mount Wilson Observatory area.
- Top of Mt. Lowe.
- Top of Mt. Baldy.
- Griffith Park area.
- Stunt Road or Piuma Cyn.
- Agua Dulce/Vasquez Rocks area off the 14 near Santa Clarita.
- Mt. Pinos.
- Jumbo Rocks at Joshua Tree.
Try to go with people you live with, be careful and safe in the wilderness, and practice social distancing.
Live webcast
You can always opt for a live digital view:
- You can watch on Space.com.
Final notes
- The Perseids are one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers.
- The Perseids received their name because they appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus.
- A double sized Perseid outburst is predicted this year.
Rena Kurlander is a resident in the San Gabriel Valley.
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