The Perseid meteor shower is active from tonight, and skywatchers in the U.S. can start looking after dark. The display is expected to peak overnight on Aug. 12-13, when dark new-moon skies should improve the view.
At peak, observers may see up to 100 shooting stars per hour. The shower comes from Earth plunging into debris shed by the icy comet Swift-Tuttle, and the best views usually come in the hours before dawn.
Perseus and Eta Persei
The Perseid radiant sits close to the red supergiant star Eta Persei in Perseus. After dark, viewers are advised to find Perseus above the northwestern horizon and then look about 40 degrees above it for the best meteors.
In the U.S., Perseid meteors may be spotted from 10 p.m. onward, but the number visible rises later in the night. Anyone heading out should move away from city lights and allow at least 20 minutes for eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Aug. 12 and the total solar eclipse
The shower is stronger this year than last year, when moonlight drowned out all but the brightest shooting stars. Larger chunks of debris can also produce vivid green fireballs as they hit Earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 37 miles per second, or 59 kilometers per second.
One complication remains for skywatchers tracking both events: a Perseid could also be seen during the false twilight of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse, but only if an observer is in the path of totality and a bright fireball occurs at the right moment. For most readers, the practical move is simple — go out after dark, face away from city lights, and use the Aug. 12-13 peak window rather than waiting for the sky to cooperate later.
