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Perseid Meteor Shower peaks this week

The best meteor shower of the year is peaking towards this weekend. From Aug. 11 to 13 you have a chance to see the peek of the Perseid Meteor Shower!

The meteors from this shower come from the debris of the comet Shift-Tuttle. A meteor shower peaking in the summer is a treat since it is warm and more enjoyable to stargaze. Most years, when there is little moonlight, this shower can produce 50-70 meteors per hour.

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This year is different — we have a full moon on Aug. 11 which means the moon will be out all night and bright. Only the brightest meteors will be able to shine through. Still, it is worth giving yourself some time after midnight and before dawn to see a few shooting stars this week.

This full moon is actually the last “supermoon” of 2022! A supermoon occurs when the moon becomes full at the same time it is closest to earth in orbit.

The Miami Valley will have very few clouds to get in your way Friday night.

The Perseids are active through Sept. 1 so the moonlight won’t be as bright as we head through the rest of August.

A bonus treat to look for in the evening sky is the planets Jupiter and Saturn! Jupiter shines bright after sunset in the eastern/southeastern sky. Saturn will be just above the moon!

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