How to watch and when it peaks

The Perseid’s annual meteor shower will fill the night sky with clear, vibrant colors by August 24.

The shower is expected to peak between August 11 and 13, during which time up to 100 meteors per hour will cross the sky at a speed of 37 miles per second.

Don’t miss this “best meteor shower of the year” – as described by NASA – featuring fast and bright meteors that can be easily viewed outdoors this summer.

What is the Perseid meteor shower?

Perseid showers occur when Earth passes through a trail of cosmic debris emitted by 109PSwift-Tuttle – a comet that will not return to the inner solar system until 2125, because it takes 133 years to orbit the sun. Meteors make the night sky shine with their “fireballs”. Viewers will see larger, brighter explosions of light across the sky than in previous years, appearing longer than a typical meteor streak.

109PSwift-Tuttle was discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle independently of each other. The comet’s nucleus is 16 miles in diameter, about double the size of the space rock that would have killed many dinosaurs 66 million years ago, according to Live Science.

Why are the Perseids considered the “best meteor shower of the year”?

According to NASA, fireballs occur when larger particles of space rock interact with Earth. Although meteors appear all over the sky, meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, the 24th largest constellation. Fast, vibrant space rocks often leave behind long trails of light and color. And this year, during the peak, the moon will grow in a crescent with only 13% illumination, which means that the moonlight will not cover the colorful range of lights.

When does the Perseid meteor shower occur and at what time will it peak?

The Perseids arrive in town every year in mid-July and will continue this year until August 24, but they won’t always be easy to spot. According to NASA, the ideal time to see the downpours is on the night of August 11 or very early August 12, as the peak of the downpour occurs before dawn. You can see meteors in the northern hemisphere sky without equipment if the sky is free from light pollution. NASA’s Meteor Calculator and International Dark Sky Association’s Starry Sky Finder can reveal your best vantage point.

Meteors can also be seen as early as 10 p.m. on any night that rain occurs, but chances are there are fewer meteors to see. NASA advises people not to look at their phones while watching the shower to help their eyes adjust to the dark. The eyes take about 30 to 40 minutes to get used to the dark, Bill Cooke, head of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, told Live Science.

Where is the best place to see the Perseid meteor shower?

Because meteors will fill the sky, you don’t have to travel to a particular location to get the best views. However, it is recommended that you find a dark location away from urban areas, as city lights will smother weaker meteors. Also, don’t expect to see meteors right away – you might catch one immediately, but chances are your eyes will need to adjust to the dark sky. But don’t be discouraged: these meteors can appear anywhere at any time, which is why telescopes or binoculars are not recommended.

Many photographers will likely set up their cameras to capture the peak of the shower, and Cooke said photographers should bring a camera and tripod. They should set up cameras to take a long exposure lasting from a few seconds to a minute. Any longer than that and they might get the stars rotating in the photo, which can obscure the meteors.

Where else can I watch the Perseids?

The International Dark Sky Parks will probably be the best places to go for a breathtaking view of the Perseids. These include Grand Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Cherry Spring State Park, among others.

The current weather forecast for the New York area shows partly cloudy skies, but you may still be able to see colored light. Some of the best places in New York City to see the Perseids include Inwood Hill Park, Floyd Bennett Field, Carl Schurz Park, and Pelham Bay Park.

Why are meteors called Perseids?

The Perseid meteor shower gets its name from the way shooting stars appear to spring from a point where the constellation Perseus is located. In Greek mythology, Perseus – the son of Zeus and Danae – kills Medusa and saves Andromeda from a sea monster. Some Catholics, however, refer to the Perseids as the “tears of St. Lawrence” because they are suspended in the sky but return to Earth once a year on August 10, the canonical date of the martyrdom of St. Lawrence in AD 258.

When is the next meteor shower in 2021?

Before the highly anticipated Perseids, catch a glimpse of the Southern Delta aquariids, which are best seen from the southern tropics. Meteors, however, are quite faint and lack the usual Perseid fireballs.

Meanwhile, the Delta Aquariids – which are active July 3 through August 15 – will then peak on July 28 and 29 overnight. That same night, the Alpha Capricornids will peak and they indeed produce numerous brilliant fireballs – which are equally well seen on either side of the equator.

And mark your calendars this fall for the Orionids, a medium intensity shower that sometimes reaches high intensity activity. Orionids will peak on October 20 and 21 overnight, but don’t be too hopeful since Orionids only produce between 10 and 20 shower limbs maximum. Between 2006 and 2009, however, peak rates were comparable to those of the Perseids.