The Perseid shower: See the lights in the sky

Look northeast on the night of August 12/13 to see the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Credit: Roen Kelly / Astronomy Magazine

Not many of us will be privileged to travel into space, but we can enjoy the phenomenon of a meteor shower as it crosses the nighttime sky. Meteoroids are the debris flung from comets as they orbit the sun. Meteors are not matter themselves. They are the streak of light produced by the meteoroid as it reaches incandescence.

August brings a special show that will peak during the dark hours of August 9 to 13–the Perseids.

The Perseid meteor shower is so named because it appears to fall from the constellation Perseus that appears in the northeast sky in mid-August. This shower, which is produced by the space crumbs of the comet Swift-Tuttle, has been observed for almost 2000 years. The comet Swift-Tuttle takes about 130 years to make one trip around the sun.

The earliest recording of Perseid activity comes from the Chinese who documented the wonder in 36 AD. Some have referred to the Perseids as the “tears of St. Lawrence” since his feast day is August 10.

The best way to enjoy the Perseids is to leave the lights of the city and find a dark spot in a park or any safe area that is in the direction of the Perseus constellation. Make sure oncoming headlights will not ruin your night vision. Binoculars are not needed; your eyesight will be enough.

If you can’t manage your viewing on the magical night of the most activity, up to 60 meteors an hour, most viewers will be able to see at least a few from the beginning of the month.