Every August, as Earth passes through the debris field left by the Swift-Tuttle Comet, conditions become right for an especially spectacular meteor shower known as the Perseid Meteor Shower. The Perseids typically start in late July and fall throughout the month of August, but the shower peaks this year on the night of August 12 into the 13 as the earth passes through the heaviest concentrations of comet dust. This is the best time to see the most meteors, some 50-75 an hour if conditions are right and you can avoid enough light pollution. Even observers in less rural areas can usually expect a decent showing as the Perseids can produce bright meteors with long trails. The moon is going to interfere a bit with this year’s shower so you will want to obscure it for the best results. If the moon is low enough in the sky, you can use natural barriers like the trees. Otherwise, you may have to get more creative. A beach umbrella that blocks the moon, but not too much of the sky could work just fine.
How to see the shower?
You will want to stay up late for this particular shower. The best viewing time is from late evening to the morning hours before dawn because the greatest frequency of meteors will peak in the hours just before dawn. The shower is called the Perseid because meteors seem to originate from the constellation Perseus. Perseus can be found in the northern night sky, but with this particular shower, you really only need to look in the constellation’s general direction. The Perseids produce some of the most spectacular meteors of the year. We’ve included a few resources below to help you get into the astronomical spirit of stargazing. Happy watching!
The Astronomy Handbook: The Ultimate Guide To Observing And Understanding Stars, Planets, Galaxies, And the Universe by Govert Schilling
“Written by award-winning astronomy writer Govert Schililng, author of Constellations (BDL, 2018) and Deep Space (BDL, 2014), The Astronomy Handbook is the indispensable, go-to guide to everything you ever wanted or needed to know about the night sky, the cosmos, and the universe all in one easy-to-use and understand handbook.”
– Provided by Publisher
Starfinder: The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Exploring The Night Sky by Carole Stott and Giles Sparrow
Planisphere and Starfinder are your personal guides to exploring the night sky. It takes the mystery out of astronomy and introduces basic stargazing techniques, helping you to find and recognize objects easily. Starting close to home in the Solar System, it shows you how to observe the Moon, planets, comets, and asteroids, as well as how to make the most of events like eclipses and meteor showers. Then, you’ll head for the stars with a guide to the constellations.
– From COSMOS
Starborn: How The Stars Made Us (And Who We Would Be Without Them) by Roberto Trotta
“Here’s what it is about: For tens of thousands of years, the stars were our constant companions. In the glow of today’s artificial lighting, when even professional astronomers study the universe by staring at screens rather than through eyepieces, we have forgotten this intimacy with the cosmos. Roberto Trotta is here to remind us: one of our species’ most enduring and (literally) universal relationships has been with the night sky itself. In Starborn, cosmologist Trotta shows how stargazing has shaped the entire course of human civilization. The rhythm of our ancestors’ lives revolved around the stars, from their cycles of agriculture to their patterns of birth. Our origin myths made the Sun into a life-giving creator and the Milky Way a gateway for departed souls…
– From COSMOS
Stars & Planets by Ian Ridpath
A highly visual introduction explains the basic concepts of astronomy and gives advice on the best methods and equipment for observation, including binoculars and telescopes. Each of the planets in the Solar System is described and illustrated in detail, with images taken from space probes as well as from the ground, showing them as you can expect to see them. More than 160 star charts were made especially for this book by the Royal Greenwich Observatory. There is a separate detailed chart for each of the 88 constellations, adding up to a complete atlas of the sky. The text for each constellation reveals its history and mythology and lists notable stars, galaxies, nebulae, and other objects. Alongside the constellation profiles is a month-by-month guide, including a set of charts and a user-friendly text guide that picks out the highlights above your head each month.
– Provided by Publisher
The Sky Atlas: The Greatest Maps, Myths And Discoveries Of the Universe by Edward Brooke-Hitching
“THE SKY ATLAS assembles some of the most beautiful maps and charts ever created to understand the skies above us. This richly illustrated treasury showcases the finest examples of celestial cartography-a glorious art often overlooked by modern map books-as well as medieval manuscripts, masterpiece paintings, ancient star catalogues, antique instruments, and other curiosities. This is the sky as it has never been presented before: the realm of stars and planets, but also of gods, devils, weather wizards, flying sailors, ancient aliens, mythological animals, and rampaging spirits. Here are the crystal cosmos of the ancient Greeks; the medieval sea, sailed by ships above the clouds; Tibetan sky burials; secret messages hidden in starlight, and much more. With thrilling stories and gorgeous artwork, this remarkable atlas explores our fascination with the sky across time and cultures to form an extraordinary chronicle of cosmic imagination and discovery.”
– Provided by Publisher
