image from meteroshowertonight.com
LOOK up tonight to see this Perseids meteor shower. With a clear sky for us here in Iowa, it should be a good show. BUT look up wherever you are to see if you can see this event.
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER 2021
HOW AND WHEN TO SEE THE PERSEIDS THIS AUGUST
By The Editors
The Perseid Meteor Shower is going to put on quite a show August 11 to 13—with 50 meteors per hour! And 2021 is the year to catch a shooting star because the event isn’t happening near a full Moon so there won’t be any moon glare. This will probably be the best meteor shower of the year. Just look up—and bring your sense of wonder and curiosity. See more viewing tips.
WHEN IS THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every year from about July 23 to August 22, but reach their peak from late midnight August 11 to dawn August 13.
The shower’s peak or “maximum” is when the greatest number of meteors per hour fall (50 per hour)—is typically in the pre-dawn hours (when it’s still dark).
HOW AND WHEN TO SEE THE PERSEIDS IN 2021
You can view meteor showers from anywhere in the world. It doesn’t matter what state or country you live in. The best times to watch the Perseids is late at night, in the middle of the night, or predawn. The meteor count is usually highest predawn when the skies are at their very darkest and when your position on Earth is forward to the motion through the dust cloud.
And the best news? In 2021, the Moon phases work out perfectly for dark skies! There won’t be any moonlight to ruin the Perseids’ show. The New Moon happens just a few days prior to the Perseids’ peak, and the waxing crescent phase will set by early-to-mid evening as well
WHAT EXACT IS THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
Meteors, also known as falling or shooting stars, are caused by tiny dust trains entering Earth’s atmosphere from space. Meteor showers occur regularly each year when the Earth crosses the orbit of a comet and its debris enters the atmosphere. The Perseid shower is associated with the Swift-Tuttle comet. When the tiny bits of dust trains strike Earth’s upper atmosphere, friction with the air causes each particle to heat and burn up. We see the result as a meteor. See more facts about meteor showers.
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every August, and its fame comes from the fact that it reliably has the brightest and most numerous meteors. Even if the viewing conditions aren’t the best, you’re likely to spot some meteors during the maximum nights of the Perseid meteor shower.
The Perseid shower is named for the constellation Perseus, which is its radiant. A radiant is the point of origin of the meteor shower, so the Perseid meteors will appear to be traveling away from the constellation Perseus in the night sky. Locating Perseus might therefore help you to see as many meteors as possible.
The Perseid meteors radiate from the Perseus constellation. Photo Credit: Adam Block/University of Arizona.
VIEWING TIPS FOR THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER
Normally, the best time to watch is between midnight and dawn. In 2021, the Perseids will be visible all night thanks to a dark, moonless sky. See your local moonrise and set times!
Watching a meteor shower could not be simpler. Just go outside on the night(s) of the Perseid meteor shower “maximum” and look up!
You can maximize your chances of seeing meteors by finding an open area far from man-made lights. Of course, cloud cover can prevent you from seeing the shower.
Get away from light pollution! You’ll want to avoid city lights. Any hill out in the countryside works. Mountaintops are also great viewing locations because they are usually at a high enough altitude to reduce haze from air and light pollution. Plan a drive or a camping trip!
Gaze at whatever part of the sky is darkest at your location. Though it might be tempting, avoid using binoculars or a telescope. It is better to look at the whole sky than a tiny part of it, and your eyes will automatically move toward any motion up above. Avoid looking at your cell phone or other lights during the meteor shower, as this will damage your night vision.
While the shower is best when moonlight is absent, you can still watch for shooting stars if the Moon’s around. Just try to face away from the Moon when looking for meteors. Its light pollution will affect the whole sky, but it will be worse closer to the Moon.
You’ll need about 20 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the darker skies, so get out earlier and be patient.
Being comfortable is important. To avoid a stiff neck, bring a chaise lounge or reclining lawn chair. A sleeping bag on the ground works, too. Find a slight incline so that your head will be higher than your feet. Bring an extra layer of clothes if you’re worried about being cold; when you are sitting or lying outside at night, your body heat radiates directly into the sky.
Worried about a meteor hitting Earth while you’re watching? Here’s why you shouldn’t be worried.
HISTORY OF THE PERSEIDS & COMET SWIFT-TUTTLE
The Perseids are the legacy of Comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Parnell Tuttle. The comet passes through the inner Solar System, where Earth is located, only once every 133 years. Each August, Earth encounters the trail of debris left behind by Swift-Tuttle, and we are treated to one of the best meteor showers of the year.
The rate at which the meteors fall is determined by where Comet Swift-Tuttle is in relation to Earth when Earth crosses Swift-Tuttle’s orbit. The concentration of meteors is higher when the comet is near Earth. In the early 20th century, the peak rate of the Perseid meteor shower was as low as 4 meteors per hour. When Swift-Tuttle was very close to Earth in 1993, however, the peak rate was between 200 and 500 meteors per hour.
The first record of the Perseid meteor shower comes from a Chinese manuscript written in A.D. 36. The Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli linked the Perseid shower to Comet Swift-Tuttle in 1866, four years after the comet was detected by modern astronomers
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/perseid-meteor-shower
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER 2021
HOW AND WHEN TO SEE THE PERSEIDS THIS AUGUST
By The Editors
The Perseid Meteor Shower is going to put on quite a show August 11 to 13—with 50 meteors per hour! And 2021 is the year to catch a shooting star because the event isn’t happening near a full Moon so there won’t be any moon glare. This will probably be the best meteor shower of the year. Just look up—and bring your sense of wonder and curiosity. See more viewing tips.
WHEN IS THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every year from about July 23 to August 22, but reach their peak from late midnight August 11 to dawn August 13.
The shower’s peak or “maximum” is when the greatest number of meteors per hour fall (50 per hour)—is typically in the pre-dawn hours (when it’s still dark).
HOW AND WHEN TO SEE THE PERSEIDS IN 2021
You can view meteor showers from anywhere in the world. It doesn’t matter what state or country you live in. The best times to watch the Perseids is late at night, in the middle of the night, or predawn. The meteor count is usually highest predawn when the skies are at their very darkest and when your position on Earth is forward to the motion through the dust cloud.
And the best news? In 2021, the Moon phases work out perfectly for dark skies! There won’t be any moonlight to ruin the Perseids’ show. The New Moon happens just a few days prior to the Perseids’ peak, and the waxing crescent phase will set by early-to-mid evening as well
WHAT EXACT IS THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
Meteors, also known as falling or shooting stars, are caused by tiny dust trains entering Earth’s atmosphere from space. Meteor showers occur regularly each year when the Earth crosses the orbit of a comet and its debris enters the atmosphere. The Perseid shower is associated with the Swift-Tuttle comet. When the tiny bits of dust trains strike Earth’s upper atmosphere, friction with the air causes each particle to heat and burn up. We see the result as a meteor. See more facts about meteor showers.
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every August, and its fame comes from the fact that it reliably has the brightest and most numerous meteors. Even if the viewing conditions aren’t the best, you’re likely to spot some meteors during the maximum nights of the Perseid meteor shower.
The Perseid shower is named for the constellation Perseus, which is its radiant. A radiant is the point of origin of the meteor shower, so the Perseid meteors will appear to be traveling away from the constellation Perseus in the night sky. Locating Perseus might therefore help you to see as many meteors as possible.
The Perseid meteors radiate from the Perseus constellation. Photo Credit: Adam Block/University of Arizona.
VIEWING TIPS FOR THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER
Normally, the best time to watch is between midnight and dawn. In 2021, the Perseids will be visible all night thanks to a dark, moonless sky. See your local moonrise and set times!
Watching a meteor shower could not be simpler. Just go outside on the night(s) of the Perseid meteor shower “maximum” and look up!
You can maximize your chances of seeing meteors by finding an open area far from man-made lights. Of course, cloud cover can prevent you from seeing the shower.
Get away from light pollution! You’ll want to avoid city lights. Any hill out in the countryside works. Mountaintops are also great viewing locations because they are usually at a high enough altitude to reduce haze from air and light pollution. Plan a drive or a camping trip!
Gaze at whatever part of the sky is darkest at your location. Though it might be tempting, avoid using binoculars or a telescope. It is better to look at the whole sky than a tiny part of it, and your eyes will automatically move toward any motion up above. Avoid looking at your cell phone or other lights during the meteor shower, as this will damage your night vision.
While the shower is best when moonlight is absent, you can still watch for shooting stars if the Moon’s around. Just try to face away from the Moon when looking for meteors. Its light pollution will affect the whole sky, but it will be worse closer to the Moon.
You’ll need about 20 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the darker skies, so get out earlier and be patient.
Being comfortable is important. To avoid a stiff neck, bring a chaise lounge or reclining lawn chair. A sleeping bag on the ground works, too. Find a slight incline so that your head will be higher than your feet. Bring an extra layer of clothes if you’re worried about being cold; when you are sitting or lying outside at night, your body heat radiates directly into the sky.
Worried about a meteor hitting Earth while you’re watching? Here’s why you shouldn’t be worried.
HISTORY OF THE PERSEIDS & COMET SWIFT-TUTTLE
The Perseids are the legacy of Comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Parnell Tuttle. The comet passes through the inner Solar System, where Earth is located, only once every 133 years. Each August, Earth encounters the trail of debris left behind by Swift-Tuttle, and we are treated to one of the best meteor showers of the year.
The rate at which the meteors fall is determined by where Comet Swift-Tuttle is in relation to Earth when Earth crosses Swift-Tuttle’s orbit. The concentration of meteors is higher when the comet is near Earth. In the early 20th century, the peak rate of the Perseid meteor shower was as low as 4 meteors per hour. When Swift-Tuttle was very close to Earth in 1993, however, the peak rate was between 200 and 500 meteors per hour.
The first record of the Perseid meteor shower comes from a Chinese manuscript written in A.D. 36. The Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli linked the Perseid shower to Comet Swift-Tuttle in 1866, four years after the comet was detected by modern astronomers
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/perseid-meteor-shower
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365
