Perseids

Perseids

Moon Subdues Perseid Meteors

Because the Perseids – the finest of all meteor showers – reach their maximum on August, this month is generally considered the prime time for meteor observation. Unhappily, this will not be the case in 1976, because of the presence during early morning hours of the waning gibbous moon. Observers might be able to assuage their disappointment somewhat with a look at Jupiter, once more in an excellent position for viewing.

Perseid Meteors

In years when skies are dark and moonless, the Perseids lay justifiable claim to the title of “year’s best meteor shower”. Beginning toward the end of July and extending through most of August, the shower peaks on the night of August 12-13, when 50 or more meteors per hour can be seen streaking from their radiant in the constellation Perseus.

Perseids Perseid Meteor shower in Austin, Texas. Photograph by Jared Tennant. This photograph is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

In the North hemisphere, when the moon reaches full phase in August, it will be in the sky the entire night. All through the predawn hours (the best time for observing meteors) of subsequent nights, the moon shines brightly in the sky, blottin out all but the brightest Perseids. In this period you should expect to see only those that reach second magnitude or brighter; the rest will be washed out in the glow from the moon. The Perseids may, therefore, yield in this moment the top prize to the Orionids, which reach maximum later, in October just before new moon.

Nevertheless, it may be worthwhile to attempt some observation of the shower precisely because only the brightest members will be conspicuous. The chance to see bright, reliable meteors should not be passed up. Photographs of individual Perseids – black and white or color, can be found on the Internet.