COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The legendary Perseid meteor shower is now underway, but don’t wait until its peak in August to start looking up — as we all know, Ohio has a lot of cloudy nights. The Perseids started streaking across the night sky on July 17 and will continue through Aug. 23, with the shower reaching its peak on the night of Aug. 12–13.
What to know:
NASA astronomers predict 50 to 75 meteors — or “shooting stars” — each hour when the Perseids peak in August, but only in dark-sky areas away from city lights.The full moon on Aug. 9 will likely make it difficult to see the dimmer meteors.On average, you’re most likely to see between five and 10 meteors per hour.Astronomers expect the occasional “fireball” as larger particles hit the atmosphere.
The Perseids appear when Earth passes through tiny particles left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, a large comet that orbits the Sun every 199 years. Most of the particles that cause the streaks of light are no larger than a grain of sand. They can appear green or green-yellow when they first enter the atmosphere but may show flashes of red, orange, yellow, or violet — depending on the elements they contain. The particles hit the atmosphere at an astounding 37 miles per second, and friction causes them to burn, creating streaks of light across the sky. Fireballs are caused by larger particles that may be only the size of a pea or marble.
How to view the Perseids:
Try to find a spot with dark skies away from city lights.Look toward the northeast between midnight and dawn.Don’t forget bug spray. Mosquitos will be biting.Put the phone away so your eyes adjust to the night sky
If you can’t leave the city:
Don’t worry! You should be able to see some of the brighter streaks of light from Columbus.