Still fine-tuning your weekend plans? Well, you’re going to want to pencil this in: On Sunday, hundreds of bright fireballs will light up the night sky in what scientists are calling “one of the best shooting star displays of the year,” according to Space.com. The meteor shower comes on the heels of what has already been a historic year for celestial events, including April’s total solar eclipse and the multiple Northern Lights spectacles. And now, a meteor shower is set to occur over the weekend at lightning-fast speeds.
It’s called the Perseid meteor shower, and it’s actually a recurring phenomenon during the summer months. In fact, the Perseids have been happening since July 14. However, on Aug. 11, this Sunday, the Perseids will reach peak activity, resulting in enormous explosions of light and color.
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The Perseids are one of the most highly anticipated celestial events of the summer. Stargazers will be able to see up to 100 meteors per hour as Earth travels through the dust and space debris from comet Swift-Tuttle, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A little fun fact about comet Swift-Tuttle is that it takes 133 years to complete one full orbit around the Sun.
However, what’s even cooler is that these meteors can reach speeds of up to 37 miles per second, or 2,220 miles per hour. Additionally, the Perseids are known for producing fireballs that last longer than the average meteor streak. These balls of hot rock can reach temperatures of more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, per Space.com. That’s why the Perseids are “considered the best meteor shower of the year,” says NASA.
“With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth's atmosphere. 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,” explains the space agency.
The Perseids will peak “around the night of Aug. 11 and before dawn on Aug.12, 2024, with good viewing conditions for a few days on either side of the peak,” reports Space.com.
The Northern Hemisphere is where you’re most likely to witness the magical display. Of course, as with any meteor encounter, your chances of seeing the shower increase the farther away you are from city lights and tall buildings. However, binoculars aren’t required for viewing.
“The Perseids appear to originate from a place in the sky that rises in the northeast, so lie back and face roughly in that direction, but try to take in as much of the sky as you can in your view, as meteors can appear all over,” instructs NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
AXIOS Salt Lake City also noted that pre-peak viewing will be more promising than post-peak viewing due to the moon’s current lunar phase. This is when viewing will be optimal since the moon is a waxing crescent until Aug. 19, “bringing more and more light into the sky.”
The Perseids will be around until Sept. 1, 2024, but this weekend is your best chance to see them!
