Perseid Meteor Shower Likely To Be Best In Years
SACRAMENTO (CBS)—The oldest meteor shower known to Earth, The Perseids, will peak Thursday at 1 a.m. Pacific Time.
NASA meteor experts said that because the moon is almost new there shouldn't be moonlight to mess with the view. Viewers should expect up to 100 meteors per hour to be visible from the dark sky.
The sky show will be pieces of comet Swift-Tuttle hitting the Earth's atmosphere at more than 133,000 mph and burning up.
Every August, the Earth passes through a cloud of the comet's orbital debris. The debris fields consist of ice and dust which burn in Earth's atmosphere to create the meteor shower.
NASA suggests finding an area away from city lights, lying on your back with your feet facing northeast and look up.
Photos: Past Perseid Meteor Showers
The best views are from the Northern Hemisphere during pre-dawn hours, possibly as early as 10 p.m.
If there is too much light in your area or the skies aren't clear, NASA will be broadcasting the Perseids from 10p.m. to 2 a.m. with astronomers explaining what is happening in the skies.
A good number of meteors should be visible from late July through August 24th but there will be fewer before and after the peak.