The December 13, 2020 Geminid meteor shower was captured in the Kubuki Desert on the Inner … [+] Mongolia, China. Over 200 meteors were captured that day in the extremely cold night of minus 20 degrees
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If you’ve ever laid out a blanket or set up a lawn chair to watch a meteor shower, there’s a good chance you’ve watched the Perseids.
Due to the peak at 01:00 UT on Saturday 13 August 2022, the usual advice would be to be outside at that time (in Europe) or as soon as it gets dark on Friday 12 August (North America).
As I previously reported, this year the Perseids coincide with a full moon, so all but the brightest meteors and “fireballs” (larger, brighter meteors) will be visible. So of the 50-75 or so “shooting stars” you might normally see during the peak of the Perseids, only a few – albeit bright – meteors will be visible.
Hardly worth the trouble, I said, advising you to go watch this next weekend.
However, there is another opinion. In an article posted on the American Meteor Society’s website, fireball coordinator Robert Lunsford says that despite the bright full Moon, the percentage of visible meteors during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower will be better than 95% of all other nights that night. year.
When to see the Perseid meteor shower
“Most of the Perseid meteors are faint, and bright moonlight will make viewing difficult,” he wrote. “Despite the glare of the moonlight, the Perseids produce very bright meteors that can still be easily seen despite the bright moonlight.”
He also advises two great shooting times – just after sunset on Friday, August 12, and just before dawn on Saturday, August 13.
Perseids: “Grazing the Earth” just after sunset
You’ll need patience, but seeing “Earth Pasture” is unforgettable.
Just after sunset is actually the worst time in terms of the number of shooting stars you might see, but the few that come at this time of night are special. The reason is that they simply overflow the upper atmosphere and will last much longer than the Perseids observed during the morning hours,” Lunsford wrote. “Most of these ‘ground-grazing’ Perseids will be seen low in the east or west, traveling from north to south.”
Perseids: “shooting stars” before dawn
Activity from the Perseid meteor shower will peak where you are as the radiant – the constellation Perseus – rises higher in the night sky. “Theoretically, the best time to view the Perseids is just before dawn, when the radiant is highest in the dark sky,” Lunsford wrote. This is around 04:00 local time, but he also reveals that experienced observers often say that the time between 03:00 and 04:00 is usually the best.
Perseids: “shooting stars” in a moonless sky
If you want to look for the Perseids in a dark, moonless sky, you’re out of luck this year. By the time the full Moon rises well after midnight, meteor levels will be greatly reduced, although it may be worth shooting stargazing after August 19, 2022.
When is the 2023 Perseid meteor shower?
Next year’s Perseid meteor shower will peak — thankfully moonless skies — around 07:00 UT on August 13, 2023 (so 03:00 EST and midnight PST), which will be perfect for North America.
Wishing you clear skies and wide-open eyes.
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