Shooting Stars!

The dork in me must present what I will most likely be doing this Saturday night...watching the meteor showers...

PERSEIDS (maximum August 12, 23h UT [4pm PDT; 7pm EDT])

Moon: Waning Gibbous (major interference)

Best viewing window: Saturday evening, August 12, from the end of evening twilight through Sunday morning, August 13.

Recommended for: Anyone interested in meteors; just remember that the Moon will detract from the show.

The Perseids are probably the most-watched annual meteor shower. The shower has a very long duration, from about July 15 through August 25. The shower is most interesting around its peak on August 12 or 13. This year, the waning gibbous Moon will be a big nuisance, riding high in the sky during the morning hours when the Perseid radiant is high. In addition, the shower's normal peak will occur during daylight for North American observers. The radiant is above the horizon the entire night for observers north of latitude 32N, but it is fairly low at the end of evening twilight. Evening Perseid rates are low, then, but there are usually enough meteors to be interesting. The Moon is also low in the evening this year, and hopefully rates will not have fallen too far from their peak. East Coast observers will be favored this year. Serious observers will watch all night long, and deal with the Moon as best they can. Face the darkest part of your local sky, and if the Moon is in your field of view try to block it with some sort of obstruction.

Rates for most observers will probably top out at around 15-30 Perseids per hour, with a few sporadic and minor shower meteors added to the mix. Die-hard observers may be watching on adjacent nights; unfortunately, there are no Moon-free periods this year.

Perseids are fast meteors and tend to be fairly bright on average. An occasional fireball is seen, but these seem to depend on the luck of the draw.

My favorite other parents, Kay and Dougie, have invited me to a viewing party on their farm in Sublimity. Kay said it's BYOB...Bring Your Own Bed.

Last year, I tried watching these from the park above the Rose Garden. While I admit that I had a blast with a group of friends, it was just too bright to see many stars. In high school and college, I watched them out at Kay and Doug's, and it was always a great show, so I am hoping to make it out there.

The best part of the meteor showers? Getting to wish on all the shooting stars...that's like 50 in one night!