The Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight. Here’s How to See It, and Some Great Spots to Watch It

The Perseid meteor shower (aka the Perseids)  will begin to peak tonight, August 12, and finish up before dawn on August 13. Since the moon will only have 10% illumination, it isn’t going to intervene or distract from the celestial show.

The Perseid meteor shower happens every year and is considered to be impressive due to the large number of shooting stars it produces. And because the peak lands on a weekend this year, even more people will be able to watch the shower. And it make for a great night to camp and stay up late to watch the night skies. 

According to TIME, the first of the meteors will be viewable as early as 10 PM. If you’re going camping this weekend, you’re going to want to make sure you stay up to watch this, because places with limited light pollution are expected to be able to see 100 meteors per hour. If you’re staying in the suburbs, there’s a chance to see up to 10 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, if you live in the city, there’s a very low chance of being able to see anything. 

Looking for a great, last-minute place to watch the meteor shower this weekend? Here are three great options.

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Mammoth Cave National Park is hosting a free event to watch the Perseids and take in the shooting stars. Guests will be welcomed to the amphitheater near the camp store and then brought to the bus loop in front of the visitor center in order to watch through telescopes. 

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

As a part of its annual Night Sky Festival, Shenandoah National Park is hosting guests to watch with telescopes and binoculars. There will be park rangers, NASA ambassadors, and astronauts present for the festival, which is celebrating its 14th year. Head to their website for more information about the entire weekend’s activity lineup.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

With the opportunity to see one- or more- shooting stars per minute, Rocky Mountain National Park is a great location to watch the Perseid meteor shower. The Rockies offer a stunning, 360-degree view of the meteor shower. The best viewing time will be after midnight.

Source: https://outdoors.com/watch-the-perseid-meteor-shower/