Mitchell Andrus
08-12-2010, 6:00 PM
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/08/100811-science-space-stargazing-meteor-showers-perseids/
Like clockwork every mid-August, Earth slams into a giant cloud of debris left behind each time the comet Swift-Tuttle neared the sun. Hitting the atmosphere at speeds of almost 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers) an hour, the meteors burn up and produce streaks of light that each last just a fraction of a second.This year the sky show will peak between 3 p.m. ET August 12 and 2 a.m. ET August 13. A very thin, waxing crescent moon will set about an hour after sunset, leaving behind a dark night sky for the Perseids.
Should be a pretty good display if you have a clear sky.
.
Like clockwork every mid-August, Earth slams into a giant cloud of debris left behind each time the comet Swift-Tuttle neared the sun. Hitting the atmosphere at speeds of almost 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers) an hour, the meteors burn up and produce streaks of light that each last just a fraction of a second.This year the sky show will peak between 3 p.m. ET August 12 and 2 a.m. ET August 13. A very thin, waxing crescent moon will set about an hour after sunset, leaving behind a dark night sky for the Perseids.
Should be a pretty good display if you have a clear sky.
.