Target Date: August 13th
This is one of the best shower of the year. The source of the shower is Comet Swift-Tuttle. Although the comet is nowhere near Earth, the comet's wide tail does intersect Earth's orbit. We glide through it every year in July and August. Tiny bits of comet dust hit Earth's atmosphere traveling 132,000 mph. At that speed, even a tiny smidgen of dust makes a vivid streak of light--a meteor--when it disintegrates. The shower is most intense when Earth is in the dustiest part of the tail.
Perseid meteors fly out of the constellation Perseus, hence their name. The best time to watch is during the hours before sunrise when Perseus is high in the sky (use a sky map, many avilable on the web). Between 2 a.m. and dawn on August 13, if you get away from city lights, you could see hundreds of meteors. Meteor gazers, this is a good time to go camping! We always end the event with a group breakfast.
Predictions:
http://www.imo.net/calendar/2007
Added by ranakabir on October 8, 2005
In Lost River WV, very clear but have not seen anything yet
Got in a Car accident right before the last event & didn't make it, Sorry!
new to this so any pointers, help me out here people!
Well not much to point out other than making sure you get a cloudless night and dark skies.
Other than that a warm body next to you helps!
so im in seattle, washington and august 13th is my birthday any advice for watching the meteor shower? like where to go, look, etc?
thanks for the help!
oh btw if you do have some good tips email me at [email protected] :) thanks!
I am going to see the meteor shower tonight but I am kinda new to this I love astronomy but I might need some tips....this is my email [email protected]
kathleenault
Is Sky Meadows the park on Route 17 in Paris Virginia?