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Perseid meteor shower peaks under dark skies
The Guardian··11 Aug
The Perseid meteor shower is set to peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning across the northern hemisphere. Nasa says 50 to 100 meteors an hour may appear under ideal conditions, while the American Meteor Society cites about 30 to 50 from rural sites. Debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle creates the streaks. A new moon reduces moonlight after midnight toward dawn.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Northern hemisphere viewers can plan outdoor watching around the Wednesday-Thursday peak window.
- City residents may need to travel away from lights to approach Nasa's higher hourly estimates.
- Anyone pairing sky events this week can note the shower follows eclipse and planetary parade coverage elsewhere.
What's Happening
- The Perseids are forecast to peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
- Nasa cites up to 50 to 100 meteors an hour in ideal dark skies; the American Meteor Society cites about 30 to 50 from rural US sites.
- A new moon and debris from comet Swift-Tuttle support stronger visibility after midnight.
Why This Year's Peak Favours Dark-Sky Watchers
- New-moon timing removes the bright moonlight that often dims meteor counts.
- Perseid fireballs remain popular because summer nights are warmer than winter shower peaks.
- Records of the shower stretch back more than 2,000 years along the same debris stream.
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