The Fargo-Moorhead Astronomy Club is gearing up for a great weekend of staring at the sky. Cloud cover should be minimal, temperature comfortable and the heavens will be putting on a heck of a show. The Swift-Tuttle Comet left a trail of debris known as the Perseids (Per-See-Idds) that will be at peak visibility Sunday and Monday.
From
CBS News
:One of the most popular meteor showers of the year is expected to peak this weekend.
The Perseids will light up the sky with dozens of meteors an hour on August 11 to 13, setting up a spectacular show for stargazers.
The Perseids appear at about this time every year when Earth ventures through pieces of debris left behind by the ancient comet Swift-Tuttle. Dr.Bill Cooke with NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office tells CBS News that this year, spectators will be in store for a better watching experience due to diminished moonlight –– or in his words: “We won’t have any moon messing it up.”
“The moon will be setting early so there won’t be much moonlight that will be interfering at night,” Cooke said. “Peak rates will be just before dawn.”
When to watch the Perseids
While meteors from the Perseids have passed over Earth since the end of July and are expected to continue until late August, the ideal dates for viewing are between Saturday, August 11 and Monday, August 13, with the latter being the best of the three, Cooke says.
As the night nears dawn, Cooke says viewers can expect to see a meteor every minute or so, which is about standard for the Perseids.
Where to see the 2018 Perseid meteor shower
As long as you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, the Perseid meteor shower will be right overhead. Americans from coast to coast will have a chance to enjoy the cosmic show as long as the local weather cooperates. But Accuweather warns that in parts of the West, smoke from massive wildfires will create hazy conditions, limiting visibility.
Cooke recommends steering clear of bright city lights in order to get the best view.
“You’ll get a decent show as long as you’re north of the equator,” he said. “As long as you have clear skies and you’re away from the city, you should have a good show.”
CLICK HERE TO SEE NASA FOOTAGE OF THE PERSEIDS
A collection of telescopes and amateur star gazers will be in full force on Friday, August 10th 2018 to look at planets, other galaxies and share their love of Astronomy with anyone who would like to join them at the MSUM Science Center at Buffalo State Park
(Jay Bjerke, President of the Fargo-Moorhead Astronomy Club, in the KFGO studio)
Jay Bjerke joins It Takes 2 with Amy and JJ to talk about the the best viewing conditions to see planets like Jupiter or Venus, plus the history of the centuries old Perseids that will be providing a beautiful meteor shower – best visible on Sunday and Monday nights, but have been around since mid-July.
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(Amy Iler & JJ Gordon are talk-show hosts at 790 AM KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. “It Takes 2 with Amy & JJ” can be heard weekdays 11am-2pm. Check out the show page on
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