CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — What is the Perseid meteor shower?
This is an annual event that happens from mid July through late August, with a peak around August 12-13. This is the time frame where we could see peak rates of up to 50-100 meteors per hour! It gets it's name from the constellation Perseus, where the comets seem to appear from when we're viewing them appearing as "shooting stars" as they burn up in our atmosphere. The meteors themselves come from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 133 years.
What should you do to get the best viewing conditions?
One big thing is always light pollution from cities and towns, if you're able to get away from city lights anywhere from midnight through dawn you'll have a good chance at catching a glimpse of a few. One trick I use for this is by going online and finding a light pollution map to find a darker area that's nearby. It's also important to remember to give your eyes around 20-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness fully, and if you can do so then also lay on your back in a flat area to maximize your eyes viewing radius! Try to look for the constellation Perseus, if you're unable to find it in the north-northeastern sky then finding Cassiopeia could also help as a guide.
How does our weather look for viewing across the Coastal Bend?
In terms of cloud cover we're looking pretty good across the area! We should only see around 20-30% coverage of cloud cover at times overhead. We're not expecting anything in terms of rain, but we'll definitely be feeling the mugginess as we're stepping outside with dew points in the 70s! One special thing we'll experience this year is also a New Moon on the same night as the meteor showers peak! Meaning the sky will be extra dark without the additional moonlight on top of any city lights.
Of course keep in mind if you don't catch them tonight they'll still be pretty active the next few nights, and if you're really lucky you can catch them as late as August 24. Don't forget to share any videos you might get with the Coastal Bend Weather Watchers group on Facebook!
