'Great Show': Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Sunday Night

Space.com ^ | 8/10/2007 | Joe Rao

[hc87]

Who's watching tonight? I saw four last night, but gave up and went to bed around 1 a.m. EDT. Peak tonight is supposed to be around 2 a.m. EDT.

[FormerACLUmember]

I have seen this on every clear August Peresid sky since I was 5 years old.

[FormerACLUmember]

I have seen this on every clear August Perseid sky since I was 5 years old.

[Global2010]

I might take a sec to look.

They build it up every year and we got disappointed soo have not been out for quite a few years.

Best show we saw was 1989.

[Jemian]

I really want to watch, but staying up so late... We really need to speak to someone about this scheduling. Why can’t they schedule meteor showers during the day? This is all a plot of George Bush.

[ovrtaxt]

Rocks falling from the sky?

Bush’s fault.

[Cementjungle]

It's hard to tell if it's going to be clear here (I'm west of Seattle on the peninsula) tonight or not, it's looking like it's trying to clear up but the weather can change quickly.

In the past 2 weeks I've seen quite a few shooting stars, mostly in the northern sky, it's been quite nice indeed.

[hadaclueonce]

Yawn, I did the media routine for years, “one an hour” this is an non event.

[spotbust1]

Ok, I’ll be up late tonight anyway. I was planning on trying to see a few. Since this is my first time watching one of these, which way do I look?

I haven’t even checked the weather. It was overcast all day. With my luck it probably still is.

[Alberta's Child]

They’re predicting a great show tonight out here in western Canada, but I can’t stay up late to watch it!

[whatexit]

Too cloudy here in northern NJ tonight, unfortunately.

[dragnet2]

We've already seen 3 before 8:36pm PST.

If anyone is interested, look towards the north east from now till dawn.

[metmom]

Clouds >:(

[metmom]

I find the most comfortable thing to do is dress warm, for the cold and mosquitoes, and lay out flat on your back, on a lawn chair, for example. It’s much easier on your neck.

[hc87]

Look to the Northeast.

Unfortunately, I’m starting to get clouds rolling in (Essex County, Massachusetts), so I may be done for the night. I did see two, however.

[1066AD]

Saw a few during the week but sky’s not dark enough in the burbs.

[spotbust1]

I just ran outside and the sky is clear, although I am about 15 miles from Atlanta and there is a mall about 2 miles from here so the lights will probably get in the way a bit. I have to work for about 45 more minutes then I am going out to sit for a while. If I see a few, I will be thrilled.

[Myrddin]

I've had crystal clear skies in Pocatello the last 3 nights. Each night I watched for around 15 minutes and spotted 4 decent meteors each time. At 4:30 AM I made a quick trip to the restroom. There was a fairly bright flash outside as I was heading back to bed. Hopefully this evening is equally clear and pleasant.

[oldteen]

We got the “sonic boom” from one at 12:09 Saturday morning. Someone said they saw a flash of blue light. Further up the hill it was reported that it looked like fireworks. I didn’t see it, darn it. Only heard the BOOM!

[txhurl]

From the latitude of Seattle you can see Perseid meteors the entire night of August 12/13.
Best time is the hours before dawn on the 13th.
Some meteors visible before end of dusk.
10:15 pm (End of Dusk) Meteors visible at nearly 1/2 the maximum rate.
03:45 am (Start of Dawn) Meteors visible at near the maximum rate. The number of visible meteors decreases as dawn begins to lighten the sky.

From latitude of New Orleans you can see Perseid meteors the entire night of August 12/13.
Best time is the hours before dawn on the 13th.
09:15 pm (End of Dusk) Occasional meteors visible.
01:15 am Meteors visible at 1/2 the maximum rate.
05:00 am (Start of Dawn) Meteors visible at greater than 1/2 the maximum rate. The number of visible meteors decreases as dawn begins to lighten the sky.