The Perseid meteor shower is considered one of the best, if not the best, meteor shower of the year each year. It is visible from mid-July to late August, but reaches its peak on the nights of August 11th and 12th. That means the peak is tonight! Good news—Mother Nature will be playing along, too!
Skies over the Ohio River Valley are expected to remain clear tonight, so there’s no chance of getting in the way of seeing the spectacle. So let’s get into the details.
HOW MANY METEORS WILL I SEE?
At the peak, you should be able to see about 100 meteors per hour. However, in the past, there have been close to 150 to 200 at times. I would expect there to be between 50 and 100 meteors per hour tonight.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO WATCH?
While the best time to observe is before dawn on Monday, you should be able to see meteors as early as 10 p.m. ET. The moon phase is currently waxing, meaning the moon is nearly 50% full. However, in Cincinnati, it will set at 11:52 p.m., meaning we should have dark skies until dawn. That’s ideal! Sunrise on Monday morning is at 6:50 a.m., and twilight should begin around 5:32 a.m.
WHERE SHOULD I SEARCH?
The Perseid meteor shower will be strongest in the Northern Hemisphere and should be visible throughout the sky. However, the meteors will begin near the constellation Perseus, which is where the event gets its name.
The best views are always away from city lights, so if time permits, try to avoid the light pollution in downtown Cincinnati.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF THIS?
The meteor shower is caused by debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet last flew past Earth in 1992, but the debris is still there.
While this is the best meteor shower of the year, there’s another one coming later this year. The Orionids peak in October, but only manage to get about 10 to 20 meteors per hour. If you get any videos or photos, be sure to send them to us or tag us on social media! Enjoy the show.
