Great news for night owls! The annual Perseids meteor shower is just a few days away, and this year promises to be quite a show. Commonly known as the Perseids, the meteor shower is expected to peak on August 11 and 12 with an incredible display.
According to NASA, observers can expect to see as many as 100 meteors per hour during the Perseids. While the shooting stars may look like they’re casually traveling through the sky, Space.com says the typical Perseids meteoroid actually travels about 133,200 mph. They are also extremely hot and can reach temperatures greater than 3,000 degrees.
The Perseids Is The Best Meteor Show Of the Year
NASA says that those looking for an incredible show need to tune into the Perseids. They will be most visible in the pre-dawn hours from the northern hemisphere. Experts say the darker the conditions, the better.
Hunter Miller, a public observing educator at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, gave NPR some tips on how to enjoy.
“As late as you can be out, the better the views will get, the darker the sky will be,” he said. “As the moon sets, you’ll have a pretty nice dark sky.”
Hunter added that in order to have the best shot at seeing the Perseids, you should try an open area.
“You want as big of a view of the sky as possible,” he continued. “Sit back, get your lawn chair out. My favorite part about meteor showers is that it doesn’t really require too much.”
The Perseids are great for people interested in seeing a meteor shower. There is plenty of time to catch the show.
“With some meteor showers, if you miss the night of the peak or even an hour or two off the peak, there’s nothing. Not so with the Perseids,” he said. “The Perseids are so large and they’re so spread out that you can see them within a day or two of the peak, and you still see a really impressive show.”
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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