It's the favorite time of the year for star-gazers and space enthusiasts alike, the Perseid meteor shower! Alongside the Geminid meteor shower, the Perseids are one of the best and most consistent meteor showers. Unlike the Geminid meteor shower (which takes place in December), the Perseids occur in the middle of summer.
If viewed in good conditions, you could see upwards of 60 meteors with the naked eye! So, you might ask questions such as how can I see them? Where do I look? And what's the forecast for viewing these meteors?
What are the Perseids? The Perseids are a meteor shower, which normally occurs when Earth crosses through the debris cloud of a comet. In this case, it's the comet Swift-Tuttle, which we always cross in the summertime. They are called the Perseids because they seem to originate from the Perseus constellation and radiate outward, although there is no actual link between the constellation and the meteors.
A Fun Meteor Fact: Although we see these bright streaky meteors, you might assume they are large. However, most meteors that enter the atmosphere are less than the size of a quarter. Because they enter the atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour and burn up quickly, they create bright streaks! These meteors are often visible to the naked eye.
How to view them: The most important thing is to get away from city lights. Although you can see them in the Omaha metro, only the brightest ones will be visible due to light pollution. A quick hour's drive in any direction should be far enough to see more of them. If you live outside the Omaha metro, you can view them from your backyard. Once you are away, look to the northeast towards the Perseus constellation where the most will be visible. Avoid bright lights such as flashlights or cell phones, as your eyes will not adjust to the night sky. Then, enjoy the show! With 40-60 meteors possible per hour, you will see one every minute or two on average. You only need your eyes to see them, but bringing supplies such as food and water would not hurt being outdoors for a long time.
When is the best time to see them? The meteor shower peaks this Sunday night (Aug 11-12). Due to the long nature of this meteor shower, it's possible to see Perseids as early as tonight and as late as midweek next week. Anytime after midnight is the best time to see them, although meteors will be visible the entire night.
What is the weather forecast? Unfortunately, this may be a big hindrance to our viewing across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. The forecast for Sunday night is cloudy with scattered rain and thunderstorms. There could be a few breaks in the clouds, but viewing conditions look poor. The same goes for both Saturday night and Monday night. The best chance to see any meteors from the Perseids maybe tonight, but the numbers will be lower. There is still some time for the forecast to change, so keep updated here.
