Yesterday I shared just about everything I know about watching meteor showers. Today I’m dishing a few tips specifically for viewing the Perseids this weekend (Aug 10-12, 2012).
Go On Saturday Night (Sunday Morning)
Exactly which night is best to go fluctuates slightly year to year, but forecasters and google make it easy to figure out. This year you’ll want to be out between 2am and sunrise on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Under the right conditions you could reasonably see one meteor a minute if you don’t keep ruining your night vision. Not too shabby.
This year the Perseids peak is on a weekend, so you don’t have to go to work sleep-drunk. Huh-ZAH. Don’t get me wrong, sleep-drunk from watching a meteor shower is totally worth it, but when you can avoid it, all the more awesome.
It also makes camping-out an option. If you’re in to that sort of thing, of course. Being away from city lights will give you great viewing opps, so grab another family, find a nearby state park or campground, and off you go.
There’s a Good Moon Rising…
(Gotta love CCR.)
The moon. It can be such a fun-hater. Its phase and location in the sky can completely drown out all but the brightest meteors. But this year we have a small crescent moon that shouldn’t be a bother. Yet another reason to go this weekend. (Have I convinced you yet?)
Face Northeast
The meteors in each shower appear to come from one particular place in the sky called the radiant point. They don’t all show up right in that one spot, they just look like the originate from one area. It’s kind of like watering your lawn with a sprinkler: the water goes out much farther than the sprinkler head, but ultimately is still contained in a specific part of the yard. So when you’re out, look toward that part of the “yard”.
The guys at spacedex put it this way:
Once you have settled down at your observation spot, look approximately half way up the sky facing northeast. This way you can have the Perseids’ radiant within your field of view. Looking directly up at the sky or into the radiant is not recommended since this is just the point in which they appear to come from. You are more likely to see a trail when looking slightly away from this point. Looking half-way up into the sky will lead to the best show in the house!
Be Aware of the Clouds
Clouds will make it impossible to see meteors, so check the weather report ahead of time to determine your risk-of-clouds factor before you set out on a long drive. Don’t totally base your decisions on the forecast, though, or on before-bed observations for that matter. We’ve been promised clear skies and gotten cloudy, and vice versa. Just be aware of the clouds, and enjoy the adventure of it.
An Extra Perk
There is an extra perk this year: the visibility of Venus and Jupiter. Here it is explained by Mike Lynch.
As an added bonus early Sunday morning, you’ll see two bright planets on either side of the moon. To the lower left of the moon is Venus, about 65 million miles from Earth right now. To the upper right of the moon is Jupiter, about 500 million miles away. Using only a small telescope, you probably can see up to four of Jupiter’s moons, which resemble tiny stars on either side of the planet.
(I don’t think we mentioned this yet, but don’t use binoculars or telescopes for general viewing. You need a broad view for the best show.)
So… what will it be?
You gonna go? If you do, tell me about your adventures!
(And don’t forget to share this post with anyone else who might want to know!)
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