A good chance to wish upon a shooting star: Moonlight won’t mess up this week’s meteor shower
WASHINGTON – Want to wish upon a shooting star? The skies over the United States are likely to co-operate for a meteor shower overnight Wednesday.
Astronomers say the lack of moonlight will help people see more of the oldest meteor shower known to Earth, the Perseids (pur-SEE’-uhdz).
NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke said the annual show will peak around 3 a.m. local time Thursday. Cooke said if the weather is good, expect one shooting star a minute, maybe more.
Weather Underground meteorology director Jeff Masters said the skies will be clear for an unusually large section of the U.S.
The sky show is pieces of Comet Swift-Tuttle hitting Earth’s atmosphere at more than 133,000 mph and burning up. The best way to watch: lie down and look up — no telescopes needed.
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