OCALA, FL (352today.com) – This Saturday night, find an unlit area outside, sit back and relax. You might just get to see the annual Perseid meteor shower at its peak for 2023.
Experts at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) say every July and August, Earth passes through the debris in the trails of the Swift-Tuttle comet, and dozens of meteors can be seen everywhere in the sky. According to NASA, this year, the most meteors will fly by on the night of Saturday, Aug. 12 and will continue through the early morning on Sunday, Aug. 13.
Unlike last year’s bright full moon, the moon on 2023’s peak meteor night will be a waning crescent, making the sky darker. This means it will be even easier to see the meteors, especially if you’re far out in the countryside and away from urban and suburban lights.
“People in the U.S. can reasonably expect to see around 40 Perseids in the hour just before dawn on the peak nights,” said Bill Cook, who leads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, referring to Americans who live far from cities. “That’s about one every couple of minutes, which is not bad.”
Light pollution in suburban skies reduces the average rate of visible meteors from 40 to just about 10 every hour.
If you want to increase your chances of seeing the shower, try to find a dark spot with a clear sky. Lie on the ground or sit back in a chair so you get the best view of the whole sky. Once you’ve found a spot, don’t use any phones or lights. If you are patient, you will most likely see several meteors within just an hour.