The earth makes its annual pass through the Perseid meteor shower.
New Hampshire gets a great view of the Perseid shower. (Courtesy Thad V'Soske.)
Every year, in July and August, the Earth has a close encounter with the debris from a comet. And since we are along for the ride anyway we can get a great view of the show!
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular and consistent of the entire year. The source of the shower is Comet Swift-Tuttle. Although the comet is far from Earth, our planet’s orbit passes through a cloud of debris left by its long, wide tail.
We can see more meteors than usual from late July through late August, but this year the best show takes place early on the morning of August 13, when Earth passes through the dustiest section of orbit. The moon will be in its dark phase and if the weather cooperates too, we’ll have perfect viewing conditions.
The ideal time to watch is between two AM and dawn, when the skies are darkest, and the forward motion of Earth’s orbit and rotation combine, plowing us through the debris field at maximum velocity. The comet particles hit our atmosphere at around 132,000 miles per hour. At that speed, even a tiny speck of dust makes a brilliant streak of light--a meteor--when it disintegrates.
To view the shower, head to an open area far away from city lights. Spread out the blankets and the reclining lawn chairs and let your eyes adjust. Look high in the eastern sky in the area of the constellation Perseus, for which the Perseids are named. With luck and a bit of patience, you might see hundreds of meteors in a few hours.
