Perseid Meteor Shower - Best Monday night 8/12

space.com | 8/6/02 | Joe Rao

[aShepard]

Good view in 2002

In 2002, Earth is expected to encounter the core of the Perseid swarm, where meteoroid concentration is densest, on Monday, Aug. 12. This is when the Perseids put on their best show as the meteors appear to diverge from a patch of sky near the Double Cluster in Perseus. This is actually an illusion of perspective, since that is the direction toward which the Earth’s orbital motion carries us at this time of the year.

At the same time, the meteoroids are traveling on parallel paths nearly perpendicular to the Earth’s orbit. The combined speeds of the Earth and the meteoroids cause the Perseids to rush into our atmosphere at average speeds of 37 miles per second (60 kilometers per second).

The bane of meteor observers is bright light, natural or artificial. The Moon will be a slender crescent and will set during the evening hours, and will be of no hindrance to Perseid viewing this year.

For an observer with access to a wide-open view of a clear, dark sky, meteors should appear at an average rate of about one every minute or two. Veteran observers, however, say that the Perseids tend to appear in bunches: several over an interval of minute or two, followed by a lull of several more minutes before the sky again "bears fruit."

[aShepard]

In the Northern sky. No Moon, best in a dark sky. Be sure to take the kids

[Djarum]

Roughly 5-10/hour last night.

[N. Theknow]

Other than 0-dark-30 what hours are best for viewing in the EDT zone?

[Molly Pitcher]

FYI, Kay, if it fits into your busy schedule this month.

[Catspaw]

A few years back, we watched Perseid meteor shower from the deck of our boat while we were at anchor. It was spectacular.

[stumpy]

From the deck of a boat at sea or anchored in a secluded cove would be AWSOME. I've always considered the sunrises/sunsets as best viewed at sea, followed by the desert (where I currently live).

[aShepard]

Yeah. About twenty years ago we were sailing to Maine about 60 miles offshore when the show started. We were on the 8-midnight watch, and about 11pm the Northern Lights displaced the shooting stars. Fabulous. Stayed on deck, and watched the new moon rise about 1AM, with, at first, only the point of the crescent breaking the horizon. With the moon rise, the show became fainter.

One of those nights I'll take to the grave!

[Political Junkie Too]

My astronomy calendar shows the Persieds on Sunday/Monday. It's not clear from this post (when they say Monday, despite the headline) whether they mean early Monday morning or Monday night. I presume they mean Sunday night/early Monday morning, since if meteors are best viewed from between midnight to 3:00am, Monday "night" would put you into Tuesday morning.

-PJ

[Vic3O3]

PING

[kayak]

Thanks for the (dare I say it? ... *grins*) heads up, Molly .... with my busy schedule I would never have remembered.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Index bump and a better article from MSN on this;

"Your guide to the meteor show"
http://www.msnbc.com/news/791665.asp?pne=msn&cp1=1