Stardust Shower in August

Many folks seem to remember there's a major meteor shower sometime in August. Why? Because people spend more time outdoors during mid-summer. Whether it's camping or catching a movie at the surviving drive-in theaters, they're bound to see more meteors than usual blaze across the sky. That meteor shower of which so many people are familiar is the August Perseids, usually peaking between the 11th and the 13th.

How long has it been since this display of shooting stars put on a decent show? During the last 20 years we've either been mooned-out (like last year), or the weather has not cooperated. This year the Perseids will occur with a waning crescent moon in the sky (just 3 days from new). Almost perfect! All we have to do now is cross our fingers, legs and eyes that Mother Nature provides us with clear skies.

The peak night that we hope will be clear is August 11-12. The waning crescent Moon, rising around 2:00 am, will not hinder observing. Furthermore, there is a potentially added bonus occurring this year. Astronomers predict that on the 11th the Earth will glide through a dense stream of relatively "fresh" particles left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle back in 1862. We may experience a brief enhancement of activity. Unfortunately this increase of activity may happen before sunset for us on the night of the 11th. Just in case the prediction is off by a few hours, I'd recommend you begin scanning the skies right after sunset. We might just get lucky. Over 100 meteors per hour could be seen for a short time.

The normal peak of activity (which will still perform as usual) occurs from midnight to dawn, with up to 60 meteors per hour visible. The meteors appear to radiate from an area of sky, called the radiant point, in the constellation Perseus. As Perseus rises off the northeast horizon, the number of meteors seen will increase as the night progresses.

As always, to maximize your viewing opportunities, choose a dark site from which to observe. Get comfortable in a lounge chair, face northeast, protect yourself with mosquito repellent, and enjoy the show. Also, try to observe with a friend or two. There's nothing worse than missing a worthwhile display of meteors because you dozed off!

If the display is quite active you won't have any trouble maintaining your vigilance. You'll know you've seen a Perseid because they are usually green, red or orange. Fireballs, brilliant and exploding meteors, have been more frequently reported from observers with better observing conditions than us in recent years as well. The Perseids are really fast shooting stars too, coming in at around 134,222 miles per hour. Stay alert and be ready to duck!

Good luck with this year's August Perseids. Don't forget to watch for any sign of enhanced activity during the early evening of the 11th. Keep your eyes (don't forget to un-cross them) to the skies.