Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak this week

There should be some excellent meteor viewing this week as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak.

The popular annual event is expected to produce the greatest number of meteors late at night or very early in the morning on Aug. 11, 12 and 13, according to Earthsky.org. It won’t matter where in the northern hemisphere you are, the dates should be the same for the meteor shower's best nights.

With the moon slightly past its last quarter phase, it will be a factor in this year’s display, but the Perseids are bright and you should still be able to see 40 to 50 meteors per hour during the peak time from midnight to moonrise. 

Keep an eye out for earth grazers – long, slow, colourful meteors that travel across the evening sky. They’re rare but memorable, generally appearing before midnight.

The Perseid meteor shower has been visible since July 17. Each year from July 17 to Aug. 14 the Earth crosses the orbital path of the comet Swift-Tuttle, the parent of the Perseid meteor shower.

We’re generally in the thick of the comet debris just after the first week of August.

According to Environment Canada, the clearest nights for viewing in Kamloops and the Okanagan should be Wednesday, Aug. 12 and Thursday, Aug.13.

The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is still visible in the night sky as well, so find a dark, open sky, pull up a lawn chair and enjoy this year’s performance.

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