Central Pennsylvanians will have a front-row seat to one of the year’s most beloved sky shows this week as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak in the early mornings of Monday, Aug. 11, and Tuesday, Aug. 12.
The Perseids, active annually from July 14 to Sept. 1, are known for their steady, colorful meteors and long-lasting trails. Under perfect dark-sky conditions, observers can typically see 60 to 90 meteors an hour. But this year’s show comes with a twist: a bright waning gibbous moon will wash out much of the sky during peak viewing hours, cutting expected rates to around 10 to 20 meteors per hour.
The best viewing will be from late night until just before dawn, when the shower’s radiant—the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate—reaches its highest point. For those watching before sunrise on Aug. 12, there’s an added treat: a dazzling conjunction of Venus and Jupiter low in the eastern sky.
For optimal viewing in central Pennsylvania, head to a dark location far from city lights. Give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness, and try shielding your view from direct moonlight with a building, tree line, or hill. While the moon may dim the fainter streaks, the Perseids’ brighter meteors should still cut through the glow.
The meteors are actually tiny bits of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which Earth passes through each summer. As these fragments slam into our atmosphere at about 37 miles per second, they burn up in brilliant flashes of light.
The shower’s longevity means that even outside the peak dates, skywatchers may catch Perseid meteors on surrounding mornings, especially through Aug. 13. With clear skies, patience, and a bit of luck, you might still witness one of summer’s most spectacular celestial events—moonlight and all.
Source: EarthSky