The Perseids Meteor shower has returned!

August 12 – 13 is the climax of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Unfortunately this year it coincides with the full moon which will make it a bit more difficult to see. Regardless, if you can find a spot away for a lot of ground lights and you set your alarm clock for the pre-dawn hours on Saturday, the Perseids are a guarantee light show, weather permitting of course. Like most meteor showers those with patience see the most. The meteors tend to come in batches out the constellation Perseus, hence the name. However, they will appear in any part of the sky but all their tails will point back to Perseus. So it is best to look at the darkest part of the night sky for best viewing. The Perseids occur every year as the Earth passes through a stream of dust particles and debris from the Comet Swift-Tuttle. These particles hit the earth’s atmosphere at speeds up to 140,000 mph and become heated to form bright streaks across the sky – shooting stars. For an extra added treat, this year the International Space Station will be visible over Danbury for about 4 minutes starting at 4:32AM – August 13th. It will approach from the West at about 32º and depart to the SSE at about 11º. NASA is inviting the public to participate in a Perseids webchat and "all-night" meteor shower viewing party, hosted by astronomer Bill Cooke and his team from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The webchat will begin at 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday (Aug. 12) and will last until 5:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday (Aug. 13). Picture from BBC and Sky and Telescope.