Sky watching fun tonight:
The best hours to watch the Perseid meteor shower – in some ways the most viewer-friendly show of shooting stars in the northern hemisphere – will begin just before midnight Sunday and persist through Monday night.
It is one of the annual can't-miss events for stargazers – promising abundant shooting star-sightings and coming during the height of vacation season, when late-night temperatures are pleasant and folks have more time to dawdle under the night sky.
This year, it might be more of a can't-miss event than normal. Next year, the moon will be in a waning gibbous phase (a three-quarter moon on the way from full to half) during the the best time for viewing meteor showers – after midnight. That means the light of the moon will wash out much of the night sky right when viewing should be peak.In days of distant past my favorite meteor shower was the Quadrantids in early January. The winter sky always seemed clearer and the Quads always seemed to offer more slow long track meteors, which are always the most spectacular. However, since I moved I've been way too far north to make being outside in the early morning hours anything but miserable.
That being the case, the Perseids have moved to the top of the list. The nice thing is there isn't too much summer haze to worry about up here (most of the time), so the viewing is generally above average. I keep thinking I should find a venue even further out to eliminate even more light pollution, but that will have to wait.
As does my bed. I'll need a nap if I'm gonna be up to all hours. I'm not as young as I used to be.
