Conditions favorable to view the Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseids are ancestors of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. This is a field of debris composed of icy space rocks, and takes about 133 years to orbit around the sun. This comet moves through our solar system, and the remnants get caught in the gravitational pull from Earth. When these rocks enter our atmosphere, they get burnt up, creating a flash of light. This is what people interpret as “shooting stars.”

The Perseids will be visible on Thursday morning, while the showers will peak on Friday morning from midnight through dawn. Areas east of US 63 look to have more favorable conditions during this time with a mostly clear sky. Areas west may see increasing cloudiness, especially across far western Missouri. Meteors may peak from 100-200 per hour. Allow your eyes 30 minutes to adjust to the dark before trying to view the meteor shower, and happy star gazing! For additional weather updates you can always follow us on Twitter @ABC17Stormtrack.