Perseid Meteor Shower 2020

The Perseid Meteor Shower has already started and will peak over the coming days, on August 11, 12 and 13th. This shower is one of the most reliable meteor showers of the year and as it peaks during generally warm weather for the Northern Hemisphere, it's a pleasant and easy-to-watch astronomical event that can captivate and amaze. 

Seeing the Perseids: seeing any meteor shower is easy, but getting the most out of the evening takes a little planning. First of all, you want to find dark skies, ideally away from city lights. Second, you need to reduce all local lighting to a minimum, including houselights and if possible, streetlights (for example, move to a part of a garden or park where streetlights are not directly visible). Third, you need a comfortable place to relax, ideally on a recliner chair or on a blanket on the ground so you can simply look up in all directions. Finally, you need to have warm clothing because even after a warm day the evening temperatures can drop quite quickly and if you are lying still in the open air, you will very quickly feel the effects and the Perseids will lose their appeal. 

There are two more factors that has a big impact on seeing the Perseids, one you cannot control (the phase of the Moon) and one you can (when to watch). The Perseids in 2020 are better positioned than some years because the Moon will not rise until well after midnight, allowing more viewing time in the late evening and early morning hours. In general, the best time to watch any meteor shower is after midnight (for reasons you can read about here), so your best bet is to get out late evening to start your viewing, and stay out until the moon rises (if you can stay awake that long!). 

Why are the Perseids so reliable? The Perseids, like most annual meteor showers, are caused when the Earth travels through a debris field that is also orbiting the Sun. In the case of the Perseids, the debris field is from Comet Swift-Tuttle. The American Meteor Society has an excellent article that explains some of the science of the Perseids, if you want to learn more. 

Best of luck, and clear skies! 

Image courtesy of NASA.