Meteors from the Perseids Meteor Bathe streak throughout a partly cloudy sky above Inyo Nationwide Forest in Bishop, California, in 2024.
Preston Dyches/NASA
cover caption
toggle caption
Preston Dyches/NASA
The annual Perseids meteor bathe will attain its peak subsequent week. However astronomers say it will not be as seen because it has been lately.
A full moon can be anticipated throughout the peak — Aug. 12 into the thirteenth — and can possible wash out the view.
“A few bright meteors may still be seen within the predawn hours, however viewing situations usually are not best,” NASA mentioned.
In case you nonetheless wish to attempt to catch a glimpse, this is what to know.
Finest viewing situations
This 12 months, the Perseids started on July 17, and will probably be seen till Aug. 23, NASA says. In an hour, one might see about 25 meteors. Traits of the Perseids embrace vibrant fireballs and lengthy “wakes,” the streak of sunshine and shade that comply with meteors.
Whereas NASA recommends attempting to catch a glimpse of the Perseids earlier than daybreak, you might be able to see some meteors as early as 10 p.m. They’re most seen within the Northern Hemisphere.
Robert Lunsford, an observer with the American Meteor Society, recommends going through north and settling in.
“Do not go outdoors and stand,” he mentioned. “You will get actually drained and bored fast. Get a pleasant lounge chair the place you are snug.”
And be affected person.
“Generally you go 10, quarter-hour with out seeing something, and hastily, 4 or 5 will present up in the identical minute. In order that they’re infamous for showing in bunches like that,” he mentioned.
The place do they arrive from?
As comets orbit the solar, they depart a path of mud and particles, together with meteors, behind them. The Perseids meteors originate from the Swift-Tuttle comet, which has a nucleus of about 16 miles vast, and takes greater than 130 years to circle the Solar.
The Swift-Tuttle comet final entered the photo voltaic system in 1992, throughout which observers might see about 200 meteors per hour. The comet leaves such a multitude of particles when it comes, we’re capable of catch the Perseids yearly, Lunsford mentioned.
The Perseids is the preferred of the meteor showers, in accordance with NASA. And whereas it isn’t the strongest, folks gravitate to it as a result of it occurs in the summertime, Lunsford mentioned.
“A lot of the different robust meteors happen within the late autumn or early winter, and it’s actually frigid outdoors. In order that’s the larger cause,” he mentioned.
