How to view the Perseid meteor shower
It’s August, which means it’s time for the Perseid meteor shower.
According to NASA, if you’re going to make the effort to see one meteor shower this year, the Perseids is one of the best. And this year, there won’t be any moonlight to obscure the shower.
NASA says the best time to watch the shower Wednesday night is between 3 a.m. Thursday and dawn, your local time. During the peak hours of the shower tonight, you could see up to 100 meteors per hour. The agency also advises getting away from bright lights, giving yourself time to adjust to the dark, and lying down on the ground to look directly up at the sky.
We talked with Boston.com correspondent Dave Epstein, author of the Weather Wisdom blog, about where you could go to watch the shower.
If you’re in the immediate Boston area, Epstein suggests Corey Hill Outlook Park in Brookline. Carson Beach in South Boston might also be pretty good.
“Generally beaches are good because there’s no light,’’ he said.
Baseball or football fields are good for the same reason. Parks and reservations are too, though Epstein said to make sure the area is open after dark.
Can’t find a place devoid of light pollution? You can still catch some of the shower, according to Epstein.
“What will happen is if you’re close to the city, you’ll see the brightest meteors,’’ he said. “So you’ll miss some of the dimmer ones, but you’ll see the bright ones.’’
Other good places outside of Boston would be places that stick out into the water, like Nahant, Scituate, or Marblehead Neck.
Once you’ve found a good spot with a view of the sky, Epstein says to be patient.
“You’re almost 100 percent guaranteed to see one once you get after 11 o’clock,’’ he said. “And the deeper you go into the night, it gets better and better.’’
Epstein said it should be a clear night, so grab a blanket, your choice of caffeine, and prepare to see the amazing nighttime display. Or, if you don’t want to venture out or find clouds are blocking your view, NASA will be offering a live stream of the shower from 10 p.m. Wednesday night until 2 a.m. Thursday morning, EDT.
Related gallery: 15 day trips within 100 miles of Boston
[bdc-gallery id=”120320″]
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com