BOSTON – The Perseid meteor shower, one of the best shooting star exhibits of the year, will light up the night sky over Massachusetts tonight.
On Sunday evening, Earth will pass through a fairly thick layer of comet debris (bits of rock and ice) left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.
The last time Swift-Tuttle passed through our region was in 1992. It will not fly close to us again until 2126. However, the debris left behind after its last pass will remain in our solar system, waiting for Earth to pass through in August.
When Earth hits the debris field, these tiny fragments crash into our atmosphere at astonishing speeds of over 100,000 miles per hour. This collision heats the air around the debris to thousands of degrees, creating fireballs in the sky known as shooting stars.
Perseid Meteor Shower Forecast for Massachusetts
Experts believe that under ideal conditions we can see as many as 75 stars. meteors per hour late Sunday night. And now the best news of all… the viewing conditions look AMAZING this year!
We expect the sky to remain largely cloudless Sunday evening through Monday morning.
The moon will set before midnight on Sunday evening, so there will be no moonlight to spoil the spectacle.
CBS Boston
How to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower
Here are some tips for seeing meteors:
- Place the camera in a place with as little artificial light as possible.
- Also try to find a spot without any obstructions so you have a good view of the night sky.
- Grab a chair or a blanket and look up!
When does the Perseid meteor shower peak?
The later the better. Meteors should increase every hour, peaking after midnight. If you can’t stay up that late, don’t worry, there should still be some shooting stars whizzing by between 9pm and midnight.
Be careful in the nights after Sunday! There are usually a few “stragglers” that hang around the peak for several days.
