The evening of Wednesday 12 August into the morning of Thursday 13 August sees the annual maximum of the Perseid meteor shower. This year, a new moon makes prospects for watching this natural firework display particularly good. ...
[img3="The Perseid meteors appear to stream away from the shower's "radiant" point near the border of Perseus and Cassiopeia. (Credit: Sky & Telescope Illustration)"]http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-conte ... Vic_HD.jpg[/img3]
The Perseid meteor shower, an annual celestial event beloved by millions of skywatchers around the world, returns to the night sky this week. And because the Moon will be just about new, no bright moonlight will hinder the view.
Sky & Telescope magazine predicts that, for North Americans, the Perseid shower will be at or near its peak late on Wednesday night (late on August 12th and early morning on the 13th). You can also see some Perseids, though fewer in number, for several nights before and after that date.
"The nearly moonless sky this year means the viewing will be excellent," notes Alan MacRobert ...
Thanks to a new moon, this week’s Perseid meteor shower is expected to be one of the best in years, and NASA Television will bring viewers a front row seat.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, will broadcast a live program about this year’s Perseid meteor shower from 10 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Aug. 12 to 2 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13. The event will highlight the science behind the Perseids, as well as NASA research related to meteors and comets. The program will air on NASA TV and NASA’s UStream channel. ...
