It's the favorite time of the year for star-gazers and space enthusiasts alike, the Perseid Meteor Shower! For the Northern Hemisphere, the Perseids are one of the best and most consistent meteor showers, and thankfully, it happens in the middle of summer!
If viewed in good conditions, you could be able to see upwards of 60-80 meteors with the naked eye! So, you might be asking questions such as how can I see them? Where do I look? And what's the forecast for viewing these meteors? Well fear not, keep reading!
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. The reason they are called the Perseids is because they will look to originate from the Perseus constellation and radiate outward.
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. It is because they enter the atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour and burn up quickly, it creates 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. Make sure once you are there you avoid any 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.
When is the best time? The shower peaks this weekend. Anytime after dark is a good time, but the best time is after midnight as that's when its the darkest outside.
Will the Weather Cooperate? If you plan on viewing them tonight, you should not have any issues with the weather. The skies should be mostly clear, although we could see a cloud or two. Unfortunately, Saturday night could be tricky. The forecast calls for partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers, making viewing difficult. Sunday night should be a good night to view them as the skies once more look mostly clear.
