Perseid Meteor Shower: How to see it in Michigan

MICHIGAN – If you can catch only one meteor shower this year, it should be the Perseids. They are crossing the sky at this time, and will peak during the night of August 11 to 12 and August 12 to 13. If you can see it in Michigan depends on the weather, of course, but all the signs indicate a spectacular show during peak dates, as the moon will only be a thin crescent ribbon.

years, the Perseids produce about 60-70 meteors per hour, and they are usually rich in fireballs. In the years of overflowing, as in 2016, the rate can more than double to reach about 150 to 200 meteors per hour

The Michigan Dark Sky Reserves

For best views, find a dark sky. It can be your backyard if you live in a rural area; others may need to be a little creative. In Michigan, the best places to see are the dark sky reserves.

Starry sky reserves are protected from light pollution and are ideal places to observe the stars. Michigan is home to state-designated starry sky reserves located in six state parks. There are also many excellent night sky viewing opportunities on over 15,000 square miles in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Headlands Dark Sky Park (Emmet County Park) is the only designated starry sky park in the world and offers additional opportunities to see the night sky.

The starry sky reserves are located in the following state parks:

The Michiganders can admire magnificent views of Perseid meteor shower during "Meteors & S" mores "in participating parks from 9 to 13 August 2018.

blankets, seats, insect spray and snacks and enjoy a night of star gazing – campers and visitors are welcome! S & m and free campfires are part of the celebration. The observation areas and the designated listening hours will be specified in each park.

Visit www.midnrreservations.com or call 1-800-44PARKS to make a reservation

What to expect

Bill Cooke, NASA's meteorologist, says the allegations extravagant often accompany reports of celestial events, including one last year. the Perseids would be the "most brilliant downpour in recorded human history" and that meteors might be visible during the day. Although dizzying, the Perseids never reach storm levels of thousands of meteors at the hour, said Cooke, noting that the Perseids' best performance dates back to 1993, when they were flying at higher speeds. 300 meteors per hour.

But that should not tarnish your meteor observing plans at all.

While the two nights of the summit will be spectacular, wait until August 12 and 13 for the best meteor shower in 2018, says Cooke. Meteors start flying after midnight and continue until dawn.

"This year the moon will be near the new moon, it will be a crescent, which means that it will fold before the start of the Perseid show after midnight". Space.com. "The moon is very favorable to the Perseids this year, and it will probably make the Perseids the best rain of 2018 for people who want to go out and see it."

SEE ALSO: 2018 Guide to meteorite rains, other celestial events

The Perseids, which take place every year from July 17 to August. 24, are produced when the Earth crosses the dust left by the comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862. The spike occurs when the Earth crosses the densest and darkest area

The debris warms up when they enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn in a glowing light as they travel across the sky at around 37 miles per second. Most meteors are about the size of a grain of sand, so there is little chance that we will descend to Earth as a meteorite.

Meteors fall between the constellations Perseus and Cassiopeia, but you only have to look up. able to see them from anywhere in the sky.

Be ready to sit outside for a few hours. The more you look, the more you will see. It will take about half an hour for your eyes to adapt to the darkness. Make sure to take a comfortable camp chair, or maybe even a blanket so you can lie on the floor and have a panoramic view.

While you wait for the Perseids, you should be able to see Mars until 4 o'clock. I am local time and Saturn, which will be visible until about 2 am local time. Venus and Jupiter both stopped at the Perseids' prime time, respectively at 9:30 pm and 11 pm

Image: A Perseid meteor flies over the sky over Inspiration Point at the beginning of August 12 2016, in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. The annual show, known as the Perseid shower because the meteors seem to radiate from the Perseus constellation in the northeast sky, is the result of the Earth's orbit passing through the debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet. (Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images)