Don't miss the Perseid meteor shower's peak tonight!

[Admin]

The stunning Perseid meteor shower will peak tonight (Aug. 11) in what could well be the most brilliant "shooting star" display of the year.

Don't miss the Perseid meteor shower's peak tonight! : Read more

 

[rod]

I was out early this morning and looked for some Perseids. [Observed 0500-0545 EDT/0900-0945 UT. I came out early this morning and observed 3 or 4 Perseids. They moved away from the radiant high up towards N and W sky traveling fast but faint (perhaps 4th magnitude or so). I compared to 3rd magnitude stars in Perseus for apparent magnitude estimate. Sunrise near 0618 EDT this morning or 1018 UT. The east horizon slowly brightening. Some owls were out hooting. There were t-storms the night before with many cirrus clouds remaining near midnight. Clear skies early this morning near 0900 UT. I sat in a chair in my backyard looking up high and scanning the sky. Stellarium and Starry Night show the Perseids move at 59 km/s compared to satellites or ISS orbiting at about 8 km/s.]

 

[Emely Morris]

From today until the end of the week, we will not see shooting stars, but a stream of particles burning in the atmosphere left over from the Swift-Tuttle comet. This comet periodically passes near the Earth and leaves behind a dusty plume. Our planet, moving in its orbit around the Sun, this stream passes annually in August.

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[Helio]

I was out early this morning and looked for some Perseids.

Yes, best viewing is after midnight due to Earth's motions into the stream, and your time of viewing is ideal given the greater altitude of Perseus.