Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Coming This Weekend
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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (CBS) – The annual Perseid meteor showers peak the night of August 12.
The Perseid shower is the most popular meteor shower every year. NASA meteor specialist Bill Cooke told Space.com that the moon will play an important role in this year's Perseid shower. "This year the moon will be near new moon, it will be a crescent, which means it will set before the Perseid show gets underway after midnight," Cooke said.
Why You Should Look Up At The Sky In August
According to Space.com, during peak people should see about 60-70 meteors per hour. 2016 was an outburst year which means the rate can be between 150-200 meteors an hour.
The Franklin Institute's Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts says the mountains, the shore and anywhere you find a dark night sky are optimal spots for viewing.
"While folks are on vacation up in the mountains or at the shore, somewhere the sky is darker than in the inner city environment, it would be a great time to look for meteors."
