2020 Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight
The Perseid meteor shower — one of the best and brightest of the year — is set to peak in the late hours of Tuesday into Thursday, August 11 into 13. This is one of the most anticipated showers of the year, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, perseids will peak close to the new moon, and so the moonlight will present minimal interference.
The shower will start peaking in the late hours of Tuesday with as many as 100 meteors per hour.
The greatest number of meteors will be seen Wednesday morning, but will still be visible on Thursday. Even outside the peak timeframe, observers will be able to spot a few meteors between midnight and dawn.
A good way to witness the phenomenon is to look as late in the evening as possible.
The Perseid meteor shower, an annual celestial event beloved by millions of skywatchers, is about to make its annual return to the night sky. It’s predicted to reach its peak late on the night of Tuesday, August 11th, and early on Wednesday, August 12th.https://t.co/AagU0FjWjf pic.twitter.com/TVUFAqexT9
— Sky & Telescope (@SkyandTelescope) August 6, 2020
What's up in the night sky this August?
On Aug. 9, Mars appears close to the Moon before dawn. Look toward the south, high in the sky, and you can't miss it. On Aug. 12, catch the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower. When & where to look up: https://t.co/gShGniqN1q pic.twitter.com/5buykpoDLh
— NASA (@NASA) August 8, 2020
According to NASA, the best way to enjoy the shower is to point yourself generally toward the north and look up the sky.
"The Perseids generally appear to radiate from a point high in the north, called the radiant," wrote NASA.
"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," Space also notes.
Featured image credit: Jason Guenzel/Flickr
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