Stardust Shower in August

Will 2005 be the year we finally break the curse of the clouded out Perseid meteor shower? For more years than I care to remember, despite favorable viewing prospects with a moon-less sky, we've had more than our fair share of clouds on the Perseid peak night(s). The Red Sox finally exorcized the Curse of the Bambino. Can we do the same for this year's August Perseids? Let's see what we have to look forward to.

Fortunately the almost First Quarter Moon will set before midnight during the peak time of the Perseid meteor display. However, though there are two distinct peaks to the meteor shower, both occur during the daylight hours of the 12th for us in New England. That means that, although we will most likely not see the peak rate of 60 meteors per hour, we will possibly see a good steady rate of shooting stars over the course of two nights.

What nights are those? Mark your calendar for August 11-12, and 12-13. We're lucky the Perseids remain active for several days. So, I would suggest you wait until midnight on either or both nights and find yourself a dark observing site to watch the meteors streak across the sky. Of course you can try your luck earlier in the evening, but the Moon will be bright enough to "drown out" all but the brightest members of the shower.

Will Mother Nature cooperate and provide clear skies for this celestial fireworks display? You know how fickle the weather has been. We can only hope she has saved some of the good stuff for the remainder of the year.

The Perseids appear to radiate from an area of sky, called the radiant point, in the constellation Perseus. Perseus is well up in the northeast sky after midnight. As he moves up and across the sky, the number of meteors will increase as the night progresses.

Don't forget, a dark sky away from any light pollution is the best way to maximize your viewing opportunities. Also, get comfortable. Don't stand out in a field and simply look up. You'll destroy your neck that way! Use a lounge chair or place a blanket on the ground, face northeast, protect yourself with mosquito repellent, and enjoy the show. Be careful about deer ticks as well. And don't observe alone.

If we get lucky, the usually green, red or orange Perseids do not disappoint a diligent observer. Fireballs (brilliant and exploding meteors)often accentuate this meteor display. The Perseids are really fast shooting stars too, coming in at around 134,222 miles per hour. If you happen to see a Perseid that looks like a quick flash of light with no streak, think about what is happening. We used to call it a "stationary" meteor. If it appears like a point source, it's heading right for you! Duck!

Let's hope for some decent observing conditions. We don't want to wait 86 years like the Red Sox did, do we??

Keep your eyes to the skies.