08/12/2024
Below is a good read that I copied from a couplinternet search about the Perseid event. In summary - get to a dark outside place away from light pollution. Best viewed after the moon has set / between 10pm tonight (Sunday) and 5am tomorrow morning (Monday). Don’t use your phone - the light from the screen will affect your night vision. Lay or lean back and don’t focus on any one point in the sky - towards northeast is best. Best of luck and hope for clear skies…
From online searches:
The Perseid meteor shower will peak Sunday night, giving astronomy fans one of the best shows of 2024 as they look to the skies.
The shower started in July and will continue through most of August, but it will peak overnight on Sunday into Monday, NASA said. The Perseids are considered the “best meteor shower of the year” by NASA, with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour under ideal conditions.
What time will the Perseid meteor shower peak tonight?
The best time to catch the Perseids is in the pre-dawn hours, according to NASA, but it is possible to view meteors from this shower as early as 10 p.m.
NASA notes that the Moon will set right as the Perseids start to peak.
Where will the Perseid meteor shower be visible?
The best view of the Perseids meteor shower will be in the Northern Hemisphere. NASA urges astronomy fans who want to check out the shower to get away from the bright lights of cities.
“Try to get to the darkest location you can,” NASA wrote. “The darker it is where you are, the more meteors you will see streaking across the sky.”
Around 50 to 75 meteors may be seen an hour in darker locations.
What direction should you look for the meteor shower?
Look up! NASA suggests lying on your back, allowing your eyes to adjust to the dark and staying off your phone - the light from your phone will affect your night vision. There’s no need to look in any particular direction as the meteors can generally be seen all over the sky.
The space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said it can be helpful to face roughly northeast as you lie down, but viewers should try to take in as much of the sky as possible because meteors can appear all over.