Late Monday night and early Tuesday morning will offer Perry-area stargazers their best chance to view the best meteor shower of the year as the Perseids reach their peak — but only if cloudcover parts long enough to admit the celestial light show.
According to the American Meteor Society (AMS), “The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower as they peak on warm August nights as seen from the Northern Hemisphere.”
The Perseids are particles released from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle during its numerous returns to the inner solar system, the AMS website said. Normal rates seen from rural locations range from 50 to 75 shower members per hour at maximum.
They are called Perseids since the radiant — that area of the sky where the meteors seem to originate — is located near the prominent constellation of the Greek hero Perseus when at maximum activity.
This year’s peak period falls on the night of Monday, Aug. 12 and the early morning hours of Tuesday, Aug. 13, according to the AMS.
