The night sky of Sunday, August 12 through the early morning hours of August 13 is planning a spectacular show. The constellation Perseus presents the 2007 Perseid meteor shower. It’s coming to a venue near you (your backyard), and it’s bringing with it this month’s new moon.
NASA reports that when Perseus rises in the northeast (click here for help identifying it) around 9 p.m. on the 12th, its position on the horizon will produce a series of meteors called ‘earthgrazers,’ which are long, slow and colorful. This early in the night, though, you’ll only see a few — the real show starts at 2 a.m. when, depending on sky conditions, we may see dozens of brilliant shooting stars each hour. They’ll increase in frequency until just before dawn, when there could be more than one per minute. The extra-dark skies provided by the new moon this year make this an event you can’t afford to miss.
Tickets are free, but you’ll need to supply your own coffee and lawn chair. Cross your fingers for a cloud-free sky!