Your guide to the Perseid meteor shower

It’s a favorite time of year for stargazers and space enthusiasts alike, the Perseid meteor shower! For the Northern Hemisphere, the Perseids are one of the best and most consistent meteor showers, and fortunately, they happen in the middle of summer!

If viewed under good conditions, you may be able to see upwards of 60-80 meteors with the naked eye! So, you may ask questions like how can I see it? Where should I look? What are the expectations for watching these meteors? Well, fear not, read on!

What are Perseids? The Perseids are meteor showers, which usually occur when Earth passes through a comet’s debris cloud. In this case, he is the culprit Swift tuttleWhich we always cross in the summer. The reason they are called Perseids is because they would appear to have originated from Constellation Perseus And radiate outward.

Fun fact about the meteorite: Even though we see these bright striped meteorites, you might assume they are large. However, most meteorites that enter the atmosphere do Less than the size of a quarter. Because they enter the atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour and burn up quickly, they create bright streaks! These meteorites are often visible with the naked eye.

How to watch it: The most important thing is to get Away from city lights. Although you can see them in the Omaha metro, only the brightest ones will be visible due to light pollution. A quick hour’s drive in any direction should be enough to see more of it. If you live outside the Omaha metro, you can watch it from your backyard. Once you’re away, look at Northeast of the country Towards the constellation Perseus where it will be more visible. Once you get there, make sure to avoid any bright lights such as flashlights or cell phones, as your eyes will not adjust to the night sky. Then enjoy the show! With the potential for 40-60 meteors to appear per hour, you’ll see one every minute or two.

When is the best time? The shower reaches its peak this weekend. Any time after dark is a good time, but the best time is after midnight because it’s the darkest time outside.

Will the weather cooperate? If you’re planning to watch it tonight, you should You don’t have any problems With the weather. It should be heaven Mostly clearAlthough we could see a cloud or two. Unfortunately, Saturday night might be tough. Expectations are calling for The sky will be partly cloudy with scattered rain. Which makes viewing difficult. Sunday night should be a Good night to watch it Where the sky looks clear again.