Perseid Meteor Shower: How to see it in the Hudson Valley



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HUDSON VALLEY, NY – 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. Whether you can see it in the Hudson Valley 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 .

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

For the 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. If your state has dark skies, plan to go there. If you're in a major metropolitan area – including New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle and Washington, DC – you can still find areas for meteor viewing.

many areas in the Hudson Valley where it is suitable for sky observation. NASA's meteorological experts, Bill Cooke, claim that extravagant statements often accompany reports of celestial events, including last year when the Perseids would be the "most beautiful rain of history." human. " that the meteors could be visible during the day. Although dizzying, the Perseids never reach storm levels of thousands of meteors at the hour, said Cooke, noting that Perseid's best performance dates back to 1993, when they were flying at higher speeds. 300 meteors per hour.

But this 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, Cooke said. 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 Perseids 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 Meteor Showers, Other The 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 Swift-Tuttle comet, discovered in 1862. The peak 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 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 are both placed before rush hours for the Perseids at 9:30 am and 11:00 am respectively.


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Photo Caption: A Perseid Meteor flies over the sky over Inspiration Point early August 12, 2016, in the National Park. Bryce Canyon, 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 Credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

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