TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Perseid meteor shower, one of the year's most prominent celestial displays, is set to reach its peak this week, with a new moon expected to create especially dark skies for stargazers.
As reported by NBC News, the meteor shower will peak overnight from Wednesday, August 12, into Thursday, August 13. Under clear skies and away from artificial light, observers in the Northern Hemisphere could see dozens of meteors per hour, including exceptionally bright fireballs.
The Perseids have been active since mid-July and will continue into late August. The shower occurs each year as Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As the tiny particles enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed, they burn up and produce the streaks of light commonly known as shooting stars.
New Moon Creates Better Viewing Conditions
This year's peak comes with an added advantage: the Moon will be in its new moon phase, meaning its illuminated side will face away from Earth.
That will leave the night sky relatively dark, allowing fainter meteors to stand out. The lack of moonlight could make the Perseids particularly favorable for viewing during their most active period.
Under ideal conditions, the Perseids can produce as many as 100 meteors per hour. The shower is also known for producing fireballs, which are brighter-than-usual meteors that can leave glowing trails as they disintegrate.
The best viewing conditions are expected in the early hours before dawn, when the constellation Perseus — the shower's radiant — is higher in the northern sky.
Skywatchers should choose an open location far from city lights and other sources of light pollution. NASA recommends allowing the eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness before watching the sky.
Meteor Shower Coincides With Solar Eclipse
The Perseid peak will coincide with another major celestial event on August 12: a total solar eclipse.
The eclipse's path of totality will cross parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, northern Russia and a small part of Portugal. Other areas across the Northern Hemisphere will experience a partial eclipse.
In locations where the eclipse occurs around sunset, the temporary darkness of totality could provide an unusual opportunity to see meteors during the same period. The two events, however, are independent astronomical phenomena, and the Perseids will remain visible after the eclipse.
NASA has highlighted the unusual combination of the new moon and Perseid peak, noting that the shower will light up the sky from the evening of August 12 into the early hours of August 13.
How to Watch the Perseids
CBS News reported that viewers in the Northern Hemisphere may begin spotting Perseids from around 10 p.m., although the best viewing is expected between midnight and dawn on August 13.
Observers should lie back and scan a broad section of the sky rather than focusing on one particular point. Keeping phones and other bright screens out of sight can also help preserve night vision.
The Perseids are less favorable for most Southern Hemisphere observers because their radiant remains close to or below the horizon.
The meteor shower's parent comet, 109P/Swift-Tuttle, takes about 133 years to orbit the Sun and is not expected to return to the inner solar system until 2125. The Perseids themselves, however, will continue to provide annual displays for generations to come.
NASA is also scheduled to host a virtual Perseid watch party, featuring live views from sky cameras at its Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Read: 9 Night Sky Events to Watch in August: From Eclipses to Meteor Showers
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