Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Stargazers across the country will be looking towards the heavens this week as the Perseid meteor shower makes its annual appearance. Getting its name from the Perseus constellation from which the shower appears to originate, the Perseid meteor shower is among the most well-known of astronomical events, typically beginning during late July and peaking in mid August.

As with most meteor showers, the "falling stars" of the Perseid meteor shower are actually caused by comet debris, according to Claud Lacy, a professor of astronomy in the University of Arkansas physics department. Specifically, the Perseids are caused by dust and rock fragments left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet which circles the Sun once every 135 years. As the comet approaches the sun, solar radiation melts the ice, causing dust particles and rock fragments to separate from the comet nucleus, forming the visually radiant tail. The dust and rock particles also form a debris trail marking the comet’s path. When Earth passes through such a debris trail, a meteor shower results. Since Earth passes through the Swift-Tuttle debris trail at the same time every year, this meteor shower is highly predictable.

"Each dust particle is actually smaller than a single grain of sand and travels through the atmosphere at 50 kilometers per second, which is 50 times faster than a rifle shot," explains Lacy. "As these particles pass through the Earth’s upper atmosphere they are ionized by the gasses there. This is what creates the visual display of a meteor shower."

The Perseids are a fairly high density meteor shower, averaging approximately one meteor per minute. Their appearance during the dog days of summer also adds to the Perseids’ popularity as the nights are typically warm and the sky is usually clear, making viewing conditions ideal.

"The best time to view the meteor shower is after midnight, ideally around 3a.m.," says Lacy. "It is also best to get away from town for optimal viewing. Lights from the city can dampen the appearance of the meteors."

The Perseids will peak this year on Saturday, Aug. 12 and can be seen by looking at the Perseus constellation which will be located in the northeast part of the sky after midnight. Although a bright moon will create less than ideal viewing conditions this year, the Perseid meteor shower still promises to provide a visual treat.

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