This is the best time to see the Perseids meteor: Meteorologist

It may be the best time now to see the Perseids meteor shower, an interesting astronomical event. According to The Weather Network, the peak of the Perseids meteor shower may be next week – on the nights of Aug. 12 and 13.

Weather Network meteorologist Scott Sutherland wrote on Friday, “Considered one of the strongest and brightest meteor showers, the Perseids occur from mid-July to late August as the Earth passes through a trail of icy debris left behind by a comet”.

Suggesting to go out this weekend to see the meteor shower because the view will get worse and worse throughout next week due to the moon, Sutherland writes that light from the nearly full moon on Aug. 11 “will still wash out all but the brightest meteors.”

The meteor shower gets its name from the constellation Perseus that the meteors appear to be falling from.

While Sutherland writes the meteor shower right now can produce between 20 and 30 meteors per hour the Canadian Space Agency says as many as 50 to 80 meteors can pass by the night sky per hour during the peak of the Perseids.

Astronomers have suggested sky-enthusiasts to stay up later and later to catch the moonless points of the evening as each day passes as the moon will set later each night.

Sutherland also advises viewers to get away from nearby cities to find the best viewing spots away from any light pollution.

“Note that this – more than anything else – is likely the one thing that causes the most disappointment when it comes to watching a meteor shower”, he added.

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