Meteor shower this weekend
The iconic August meteor shower officially peaks on August 12 at around 19:00 and so the best viewing time will be on Saturday evening.
However, the meteors will be contending with the glare of a nearly full moon early on both evenings, making the pre-dawn hours possibly the best bet for observing the sky show.
The good news is that despite the lunar light, the Perseids are known to produce many bright fireballs visible from anywhere. And with backs turned to the moon, from a dark location away from city lights, you can expect to see at least one shooting star every few minutes.
According to the website EartSky, It’s a rich meteor shower, and it’s steady.
“Will this shower be particularly spectacular in 2017? No. The meme going around about a “once in a lifetime” meteor shower on August 12, 2017 is false.
Perseid meteors radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus the Hero. As with all meteor shower radiant points, you don’t need to know Perseus to watch the shower; instead, the meteors appear in all parts of the sky. They are typically fast and bright meteors. They frequently leave persistent trains. Perseid meteors tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into midnight, and typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours before dawn.
How to Watch the Perseids
The best way to see the Perseids is to go outside between midnight and dawn on the morning of 13 August. Allow about 45 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark. Lie on your back and look straight up.
