GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Who is ready to stargaze?
Now's the perfect opportunity to stay up extra late or wake up a little early for prime time viewing of the Perseid meteor showers. They are expected to put on the brightest show of the summer Aug. 11 into Aug.12. as the remnants of Comet Swift-Tuttle spark across the sky.
Best Viewing Practices
Head outdoors between 1:30 am and 3:30 am for optimal viewing. This is when the night sky is its darkest and over 60 meteors per hour could potentially be seen. Head away from any bright city lights, lay back, and enjoy! You can set your telescopes aside for this event. Picture perfect viewing is best done with the naked eye - as these showers can be widely spread and fast moving.
Viewing Conditions
The weather is not expected to cause any issues in viewing the Perseid meteors. It will be comfortable, in the low 60's, with mostly clear skies. The moon however enters into last quarter, shining bright in the sky, distrusting the shower view slightly.
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Why Perseid?
A meteor is a rock from space that enters into the earth's atmosphere. If several meteors enter the atmosphere at once it is called a Meteor Shower. Perseid, the name given to this month's meteor shower, adding insight into where these space rocks came from. In this case, these rocks came from the radiant orbit of the constellation Perseus. Earning its title of the Perseid meteor showers.
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