The Perseid Meteor Shower peaks this weekend

The Perseid Meteor Shower is one of the most popular meteor showers of the year that occurs from mid July to late August. The shower will be at it’s peak this weekend, for both Friday and Saturday night. Typical meteor rates are about 80 meteors an hour, but outbursts can be as high as 150-200 meteors per hour.

This year it might be slightly more difficult to view the showers due to the brightness of the moon. Currently, the moon is 3/4 full. This moonlight will cause the faint meteors to go unseen, dropping the rates to around 40 to 50 meteors per hour.

There are a few things you can do to get a better view of the Perseids. It is best to view as much sky as possible to increase your chances to see the flying debris. Traveling outside city limits to the countryside is best as city buildings and lights are eliminated. Darker skies will allow for improved visibility of the meteors. It is important that you allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 30 minutes. And of course, remember to be patient.

Friday and Saturday night are both peak times for these showers. Friday is looking to be the best night to get outside and view the passing meteors here in mid-Missouri as we will have mostly clear skies with cool and less humid conditions. As we head into Sunday night we will see increased cloud cover, which likely obstruct the visibility of the Perseid Meteor Shower.