Clear spells tonight for the best Meteor shower of the year the Perseid Meteor Shower
A bright Perseid meteor streaks across the sky in 2016. Image: Jeremy Perez.
Easily the most popular meteor shower of the year in the northern hemisphere, tonight is one of the best nights of the year to see “shooting stars.” It’s caused by dust and debris left in Earth’s orbital path by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which last entered the Solar System in 1992 and is due back in July 2126.
The Perseids can number as many as 100 per hour. Will you see that many? A rising Last Quarter Moon about midnight is going to bleach-out some of the brighter meteors, but there should still be plenty for patient eyes to spot.
Be outside before midnight. As well as some early “earthgrazers”—long-lasting shooting stars close to the eastern and western horizons—if you’re in a dark place away from light pollution you may also see the Milky Way arcing overhead in the south.
After midnight, to find shooting stars look at any part of the night sky, and keep looking! However, you’ll need clear skies; if it’s cloudy, you’re not going to see anything.
It’s also worth looking for Perseid meteors on Wednesday, August 12 into Thursday, August 13, and even the night after that. If there’s a clear sky this week, get outside and look up.
WEATHER FORECAST
The weather forecast overnight also is not looking half bad across Ireland with clear spells forecast for most areas over the first half of the night but some fog and mist could form in areas which could cause a small problem for some. Early Friday morning cloud will begin to increase in places.
Wishing everyone the best of luck for tonight.
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