Philosophy
Heads up star gazers, it's time to take a shower...a Perseid meteor shower in August. This is the annual harbinger of major meteor events beginning with the Perseid meteor shower, followed by the Orionids meteor shower [October 15th to the 29th with the maximum occurring on October 21st], and culminating with the Leonids meteor shower [November 14th to the 20th].
Mark your calendar: The 2008 Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 12th and it should be a good show.
"The time to look is during the dark hours before dawn on Tuesday, August 12th," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center. "There should be plenty of meteors--perhaps one or two every minute."
The source of the shower is Comet Swift-Tuttle. Although the comet is far away, currently located beyond the orbit of Uranus, a trail of debris from the comet stretches all the way back to Earth. Crossing the trail in August, Earth will be pelted by specks of comet dust hitting the atmosphere at 132,000 mph. At that speed, even a flimsy speck of dust makes a vivid streak of light when it disintegrates--a meteor! Because, Swift-Tuttle's meteors streak out of the constellation Perseus, they are called "Perseids."
Serious meteor hunters will begin their watch early, on Monday evening, August 11th, around 9 pm when Perseus first rises in the northeast. This is the time to look for Perseid Earthgrazers--meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond.
"Earthgrazers are long, slow and colorful; they are among the most beautiful of meteors," says Cooke. He cautions that an hour of watching may net only a few of these at most, but seeing even one can make the whole night worthwhile.
A warm summer night. Bright meteors skipping overhead. And the peak is yet to come. What could be better?
The answer lies halfway up the southern sky: Jupiter and the gibbous Moon converge on August 11th and 12th for a close encounter in the constellation Sagittarius: sky map. It's a grand sight visible even from light-polluted cities.
For a while the beautiful Moon will interfere with the Perseids, lunar glare wiping out all but the brightest meteors. Yin-yang. The situation reverses itself at 2 am on Tuesday morning, August 12th, when the Moon sets and leaves behind a dark sky for the Perseids. The shower will surge into the darkness, peppering the sky with dozens and perhaps hundreds of meteors until dawn.
For maximum effect, "get away from city lights," Cooke advises. The brightest Perseids can be seen from cities, he allows, but the greater flurry of faint, delicate meteors is visible only from the countryside. (Scouts, this is a good time to go camping.)
The Perseids are coming. Enjoy the show!
- Another Reminder...the Perseid Meteor Shower
From Space Weather... Earth is entering a broad stream of debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Although the shower won't peak until August 12-13, when Earth hits the densest part of the stream, the first...
- Perseids...2013
Perseid Meteor Shower 2011 A bit early, but it is the 4th of July with spectacular night shows. "Everything you need to know: Perseid meteor shower" by Bruce McClure July 3rd, 2013 EarthSky In the Northern Hemisphere, the annual August Perseid meteor...
- Perseid Meteor Shower Of 2011...last Notice
"Meteor Shower 2011: How to See the Perseids" by Ned Potter August 12th, 2011 ABC News The Perseid meteor shower of 2011 peaks in the early hours of Saturday morning, U.S. time. It's not hard to watch, and it can be quiet fun, but...
- Coming To A Sky Near You...perseids Meteor Shower
Perseids Meteor Shower August 12th, 13th 2009 The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. This year's peak occurs on August 13th and 14th, but you may be able to see some meteors any...
- Perseids--last Notification
Last notification. If you can watch the event, do so. PERSEID METEOR ALERT: The Perseid meteor shower is underway and should reach its peak during the next 24 hours. Forecasters say the best time to look is during the dark hours...
Philosophy
Perseid Meteor Shower--2008
Heads up star gazers, it's time to take a shower...a Perseid meteor shower in August. This is the annual harbinger of major meteor events beginning with the Perseid meteor shower, followed by the Orionids meteor shower [October 15th to the 29th with the maximum occurring on October 21st], and culminating with the Leonids meteor shower [November 14th to the 20th]. "The 2008 Perseid Meteor Shower"
by
Tony Phillips
July 22nd, 2008
NASA
by
Tony Phillips
July 22nd, 2008
NASA
Mark your calendar: The 2008 Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 12th and it should be a good show.
"The time to look is during the dark hours before dawn on Tuesday, August 12th," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center. "There should be plenty of meteors--perhaps one or two every minute."
The source of the shower is Comet Swift-Tuttle. Although the comet is far away, currently located beyond the orbit of Uranus, a trail of debris from the comet stretches all the way back to Earth. Crossing the trail in August, Earth will be pelted by specks of comet dust hitting the atmosphere at 132,000 mph. At that speed, even a flimsy speck of dust makes a vivid streak of light when it disintegrates--a meteor! Because, Swift-Tuttle's meteors streak out of the constellation Perseus, they are called "Perseids."
Serious meteor hunters will begin their watch early, on Monday evening, August 11th, around 9 pm when Perseus first rises in the northeast. This is the time to look for Perseid Earthgrazers--meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond.
"Earthgrazers are long, slow and colorful; they are among the most beautiful of meteors," says Cooke. He cautions that an hour of watching may net only a few of these at most, but seeing even one can make the whole night worthwhile.
A warm summer night. Bright meteors skipping overhead. And the peak is yet to come. What could be better?
The answer lies halfway up the southern sky: Jupiter and the gibbous Moon converge on August 11th and 12th for a close encounter in the constellation Sagittarius: sky map. It's a grand sight visible even from light-polluted cities.
For a while the beautiful Moon will interfere with the Perseids, lunar glare wiping out all but the brightest meteors. Yin-yang. The situation reverses itself at 2 am on Tuesday morning, August 12th, when the Moon sets and leaves behind a dark sky for the Perseids. The shower will surge into the darkness, peppering the sky with dozens and perhaps hundreds of meteors until dawn.
The Eastern sky viewed during the hours before sunrise on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008
For maximum effect, "get away from city lights," Cooke advises. The brightest Perseids can be seen from cities, he allows, but the greater flurry of faint, delicate meteors is visible only from the countryside. (Scouts, this is a good time to go camping.)
The Perseids are coming. Enjoy the show!
- Another Reminder...the Perseid Meteor Shower
From Space Weather... Earth is entering a broad stream of debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Although the shower won't peak until August 12-13, when Earth hits the densest part of the stream, the first...
- Perseids...2013
Perseid Meteor Shower 2011 A bit early, but it is the 4th of July with spectacular night shows. "Everything you need to know: Perseid meteor shower" by Bruce McClure July 3rd, 2013 EarthSky In the Northern Hemisphere, the annual August Perseid meteor...
- Perseid Meteor Shower Of 2011...last Notice
"Meteor Shower 2011: How to See the Perseids" by Ned Potter August 12th, 2011 ABC News The Perseid meteor shower of 2011 peaks in the early hours of Saturday morning, U.S. time. It's not hard to watch, and it can be quiet fun, but...
- Coming To A Sky Near You...perseids Meteor Shower
Perseids Meteor Shower August 12th, 13th 2009 The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. This year's peak occurs on August 13th and 14th, but you may be able to see some meteors any...
- Perseids--last Notification
Last notification. If you can watch the event, do so. PERSEID METEOR ALERT: The Perseid meteor shower is underway and should reach its peak during the next 24 hours. Forecasters say the best time to look is during the dark hours...