The Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight - Lifehacker

Illustration for article titled The Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight — Photo: Bill Ingalls/NASA (Getty Images)

The Perseids are upon us! Known as the most-anticipated meteor shower of the summer—boasting upwards of 100 meteors per hour—tonight is the night to catch the Perseid Meteor Shower’s peak action.

The Perseids have been showering since July 13 and will continue through Aug. 26, but the night of Aug. 12-13 will be the most stunning, according to AccuWeather astronomy blogger Dave Samuhel.

“Perseids are not only numerous, they are beautiful. Most of the meteors leave a glittering trail as they pass,” Samuhel said. “They are multi-colored and many are bright.”

The only major bummer this year is the bad timing of a nearly-full moon that will make it harder to see the some of the dimmer meteors. And depending on where you are, clouds may get in your way, too, AccuWeather reports:

Cloud-free conditions will lead to uninterrupted viewing conditions for some of the best stargazing locations across the country on Monday night as the Perseids peak. This includes most of the western United States, the southern Plains and a swath of the Ohio Valley.
Patchy clouds could interfere with viewing for many across the eastern U.S., but there should be enough breaks in the clouds to see some of the Perseids on Monday night.

If you can—particularly if you’re in the western half of the United States—consider getting to a location with a pristine night sky for an especially dazzling show. The shower will be most active between midnight and dawn. Although the Perseids originate in the northeastern sky, they should be visible from all areas of the sky.

For optimal viewing, lie back in a reclining position, allow your eyes to adjust to the dark and look away from the moon, toward the darkest part of the sky.

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