The upcoming solar eclipse isn’t the only cosmic event happening this August. In the coming nights leading up to August 11-13, the Perseid Meteor Shower will be visible in the night sky.
According to information from spaceweather.com, this week, Earth is entering a stream of debris from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which is the source of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower. NASA cameras detected 11 Perseid fireballs over the United States on the night of August 2. This rate is expected to increase sharply in the nights ahead. Meteor forecasters expect the meteor shower to peak anywhere from August 11-13, with an estimated dozens of Perseids per hour that will be visible in the bright moonlight.
The suggested time to search for these showers is during the hours of local sunrise, when Perseus, the star from which the meteors’ visibility will stem, is at its highest point in the sky.
Those interested in viewing the meteor showers are encouraged to find a dark, open area to view the sky and give themselves at least an hour of viewing time. The showers can come in spurts and are interspersed with lulls. Find a nice reclining lawn chair, a blanket and a thermos of hot chocolate or coffee and enjoy the experience.
Further tips and information can also be found at http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower.