MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It’s often one of the most anticipated meteor showers of the year.
The Perseid meteor shower will take place this week with the best viewing occurring after midnight on August 11, 12, and 13.
Every year around this time we pass through the orbit path of Comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet itself is now moving away from the Sun on its orbit. December 1992 was when it made its last closest approach to the Sun, something it will not do until July 2126.
It’s when Earth passes through this orbit that we get the yearly meteor shower. Tiny bits and pieces of debris from the comet that remain in the path will slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere at 130,000 miles per hour, lighting up the sky with streaks of light.
The best time to view these meteors will be after midnight to just before dawn when the leading edge of Earth’s atmosphere is lined up with the constellation Perseus as viewed from Earth. The meteors will appear to radiate out from that point in the sky near the constellation. Look to the northeast after midnight those nights to see up to 60 meteors per hour or more.
It’s best to find a dark location away from city lights to get the best viewing opportunity. Here in South Florida that may be near the beach or close to the Everglades, away from the lights of the metro areas. Give yourself some time to adapt to the darkness plus time to view the meteors. Of course this all depends on the weather too, good luck!
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