2020’s Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight
The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak tonight! Every August, the night sky is sprinkled with comet debris. According to the White Sands National Park rangers, every August the Perseid's meteor shower is up, you can see shooting stars all week, but, tonight is the peak! The meteor shower will be visible from sunset to sunrise, but your best viewing hours are going to be around 3 A.M. to dawn. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing some beautiful sights in the sky since I do have to be up at 3 A.M.!
The park rangers note that bright lights and even the moon (which will be at last quarter phase and will rise shortly after midnight to create unwanted brightness with its light) can make it difficult to see the stars. They recommend getting out of the city (because light pollution), finding a dark location to gaze at the sky. While the light may make it a little difficult to see the stars, the Perseids are known for having particular bright meteors and for leaving persistent trains that can stay visible for multiple seconds.
You don't need any special equipment to enjoy the meteor shower, wherever you decide to view the Perseids it's best to lay down somewhere comfortable and enjoy the show. According to Space.com, our local sky forecast should rate from good to excellent views. Texas is actually noted for being one of the best states for Perseid viewing along with New Mexico. You can check out White Sands National Park's Facebook for their "Bingo After Dark" where you can mark all the constellations you see while viewing the Perseid Meteor Shower for added fun!
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