Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight
The dog days of summer are here.
That means the annual Perseid Meteor Shower is ready to put on a show.
This year's show could be a good one for Minnesota. A warm air mass with reasonably low humidity levels should mean clear skies for most of the Upper Midwest tonight. Combine that with the moonrise at 10:25pm in the metro, and skies should be relatively clear and dark.
International Meteor Organization reports have observed about 25 meteors per hour so far this week. Tonight's peak could bring rates 10 times that, up to 250 meteors per hour.
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Each August the earth's orbit passes though the debris stream from the comet Swift-Tuttle. Tiny grains of dust burn up upon entry into the earth's atmosphere. When they do they put on a dazzling show.
Here are some tips for best viewing tonight.
-Find a dark spot away from city lights
-Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, but may favor the northeast sky near the constellation Perseus.
-Meteors will radiate from the direction of Perseus
-The show peaks before dawn Wednesday, but best viewing may be before or just after moonrise at 10:25pm.
Enjoy the show!
PH