The second half of July going into August is considered "meteor viewing season," with the peak occurring in mid-August, with the Perseid Meteor Shower, according to Space.com.
The great meteor shower will be visible in two weeks, as the Perseid Meteor Shower peaks on the night of August 11, 2013, going into the morning of August 12, 2013.
This annual meteor display is popular with both avid meteor enthusiasts as well as summer campers, and the display this year is predicted to be an excellent one. The meteor shower will occur simultaneously as a waning crescent moon, meaning the moon will set before midnight on August 11 and 12, during the shower's peak, leaving dark skies that will allow observers an unobstructed view.
During this time, astronomers predict there will be between 80 and 100 meteors per hour.
Stargazers are likely to see twice as many meteors in the predawn hours as in the evening hours. Before midnight, the U.S. in located on what astronomers refer to as the "trailing" side of the Earth because of the planet's orbital motion through space. At that time, a meteoric particle has to have an orbital velocity greater than the orbital velocity of Earth in order to be caught in the Earth's orbit and be visible.
After midnight, the U.S will be on the "leading" side of the Earth, at which point any meteoric particles that are located along the planet's orbital path will enter the atmosphere as a meteor. The meteors collide with the atmosphere at high speeds of between seven and 45 miles per second. This causes the meteor's to dissipate in the form of heat, light and ionization, which is what creates the streaks of light in the sky that people refer to as "shooting stars."
The best way to view the meteor shower is to find an area in an open space that's located away from city lights. Telescopes and binoculars will limit your vision, so it's best to not bring the extra gadgets. Look toward the northeastern portion of the sky, but don't look straight up into the sky.
Don't wait until morning to look.
"The waning gibbous moon will rise later during the evening hours, but will still be in the sky during the more active morning hours, causing considerable interference with meteor viewing," Robert Lunsford, of the American Meteor Society, said.
Video of the 2012 Perseid Meteor Shower from NASA.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
