Perseid meteor shower to light up Canada's sky tonight
Make sure to look up at the sky tonight as the annual Perseid meteor shower is set to peak.
One of several highly anticipated meteor showers, the Perseid is expected to look brightest on Tuesday night until Wednesday morning, starting as early as 10 p.m. and continuing into the pre-dawn hours. Although it’s active from July 17 until August 23, it’s set to reach its peak tonight, according to NASA.
“With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long ‘wakes’ of light and colour behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere,” reads the website. “The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers, with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour. They occur with warm summer nighttime weather, allowing sky watchers to comfortably view them.”
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) website explains that the meteor shower is caused by comet 109P/Swift–Tuttle, which orbits the sun and leaves dust and gravel in its wake. In the summer, the Earth crosses the comet’s path and trail of debris. The flashes of light are caused by debris that becomes meteors and disintegrates as it enters our atmosphere.
In this 30-second exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, in Spruce Knob, West Virginia (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
However, Space.com warns that a waning yet bright gibbous moon (where the moon is between a full moon and a half moon) might make it hard to spot the meteor. Still, it’s worth trying to catch a glimpse.
If you’re hoping to try your luck, here are some tips from the CSA:
- Move away from city lights — you have a higher chance of seeing shooting stars in the dark skies of the countryside
- Using a flashlight? Cover the bulb with a red filter, like a red balloon, as white light may affect your night vision
- Bundle up as August nights can be chilly, and pack a thermos of something hot to keep you warm
- Sit on a reclining chair or lie down on a blanket — it’s the most comfortable way to view the meteor shower
- Patience is key, as it might be a while until you spot a shooting star