The Perseid meteor shower is going to be incredible this weekend

The radiant point of the shower, which is the spot where the meteors tend to originate, is in the constellation Perseus. Nope! Although the peaks are the best times (as long as there’s no moonlight), annual meteor showers typically last weeks, not days… building up gradually and then falling off rapidly.

Viewing here in West Michigan appears to be fair to good as of this writing.

While this weekend is the peak, Twarog predicts the showers will last through August 24. The meteor shower’s peak is expected to occur the night of Sunday, Aug. 12 into the wee hours of Monday morning.

The Perseids have presented a scintillating display for 2,000 years, according to NASA.

The Perseids are a result of the Earth’s orbit, when it travels through the cloud of debris caused by the comet Swift-Tuttle.

NASA’s photo of the lonely Perseid meteor was snapped in the early pre-dawn hours Universal Time when viewing conditions are prime. Since the Earth passes through that trail of comet detritus every year, we get a pretty little show.

NASA explained: “While observing this month, not all of the meteors you’ll see belong to the Perseid meteor shower”. That should only increase as the shower reaches its peak.

The comet itself will come extremely close to Earth in a “near-miss” in 2126.

The Perseid meteor shower is almost here, meaning that it’s nearly time to head outside and lift your eyes toward the heavens, where you can gaze upon hundreds of shooting stars lighting up the night sky.

Capturing the fleeting light show requires some luck as meteors quickly strike through the starry skies.

Spectators in the Northern Hemisphere will have the best view of the Perseid meteor shower, as the meteors will appear to radiate out from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky.

She recommends anywhere it’s dark, outside the city, for the best views.

If you want to catch the Perseids in all their glory, a drive to the darkest place near your home should suffice. The planet Mars will keep you company all night long as it low in the south east as the sky darkens.

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