Discover The Celestial Spectacle: Minnesota Perseids Meteor Shower Viewing Tips

IT'S TIME FOR SOME STARGAZING

Summertime is the perfect time to do a little stargazing, and with the beginnings of the Perseids Meteor Shower, in combination with our warm summer nights, you have an opportunity to see a lot of activity in the nighttime sky.

PERSEID SHOWER HAS BEGUN

The Perseid shower started on July 14th and it will run through September 1st, 2024. There is plenty of time to plan for some nights under the stars.

If, however, you want to see the meteor shower at its peak, you may want to visit the skies on the evenings of Sunday, August 11th, and Monday, August 12th.

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PEAK NIGHTS

On peak nights, if you are watching the sky around 11 pm, you just might be able to see around 50 shooting stars per hour. There are more like 150 happening in the sky, but in your plain of vision, it wouldn't be unlikely that you would see THAT many stars.

What are you seeing in the nighttime sky, exactly? The 'shooting stars' are little pieces of rock or dust that burn up when they come in contact with Earth's atmosphere.

The dust and rock debris was left from a Comet named 109P/Wift-Tuttle, which returns every 133 years.

TAYLOR SWIFT FANS

Taylor Swift fans; I'm sorry to break the news, but the comet was not named after Taylor. It was named after the two individuals who discovered it back in 1862. Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle, according to NASA.

THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE PERSEIDS

• Find a dark location, far away from city lights.
• Find a location with a clear view of the sky.
• Be patient and watch for at least 30 minutes in a reclining chair or lay on a blanket. (Hey...bring a pillow...there's nothing wrong with getting comfy).
• Telescopes and binoculars are NOT RECOMMENDED. They can greatly reduce the chances of you seeing shooting stars.
• Don't look through your cell phone. It will destroy your night vision! use red light only.