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Perseid meteor shower photographed in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen in southern Germany. (Image credit: Dneutral Han via
Getty Images) |
The Perseids may not be able to put on their usual dazzling show as the full moon will upstage and outshine fainter meteors.
The Perseid meteor shower (also known as The Perseids)
is perhaps the most popular meteor shower of the year, visible between July and
August. With clear skies, you could see what some consider the most spectacular
cosmic light show.
American spectators can expect to see the greatest
number of meteors during the shower's peak between Aug. 11-12 this year,
according to the American Meteor Society (AMS)(opens in new tab). Though, the
2022 Perseids won’t be quite as spectacular as they were in 2021, due to the
full moon illuminating the sky.
Every year, Earth passes through the path of Comet
Swift-Tuttle from July 17 to Aug. 24, with the shower's peak — when Earth
passes through the densest, dustiest area — occurring Aug. 11-12. That means
you'll see the most meteors in the shortest amount of time near that time.
Years without moonlight see higher rates of meteors per hour, and in outburst
years (such as in 2016) the rate can be between 150-200 meteors an hour.
On a more normal year you can expect to see up to 100
meteors per hour at the shower's peak, according to NASA(opens in new tab).
Last year, the moon was just a thin crescent and
didn't obscure the view of the meteor shower too badly, but the moon's glow is
a continuing concern for skywatchers looking for a clear view. Even though the
Perseids are especially bright, moonlight can make viewing a bit tricky. This
year, the peak of the Perseids will be affected by the full moon illuminating
the sky.
WHAT CAUSES THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
This beloved, annual sky spectacle is caused by the
comet Swift-Tuttle. Comet Swift-Tuttle is the largest object known to
repeatedly pass by Earth; its nucleus is about 16 miles (26 kilometers) wide.
It last passed near Earth during its orbit around the sun in 1992, and the next
time will be in 2126.
But it won't be forgotten in the meantime, because
Earth passes through the dust and debris it leaves behind every year.
When you sit back to watch a meteor shower, you're
actually seeing the pieces of comet debris heat up as they enter the atmosphere
and burn up in a bright burst of light, streaking a vivid path across the sky
as they travel at 37 miles (59 kilometers) per second, according to NASA.
WHERE CAN YOU SEE THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
You can see the Perseid meteor shower best in the
Northern Hemisphere and down to the mid-southern latitudes, and all you need to
catch the show is darkness, somewhere comfortable to sit and a bit of patience.
To find the Perseid meteor shower, it's a good idea to
look for the point in the sky where they appear to originate from, this is
known as the radiant. According to NASA, the Perseids' radiant is in the
Perseus Constellation. Though Perseus isn't the easiest to find, it
conveniently follows the brighter and more distinctive constellation Cassiopeia
across the night sky. The meteor shower gets its name from the constellation it
radiates from, the constellation is not the source of the meteors.
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