Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Tuesday
The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a good display of shooting stars in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday. The annual shower begins as a trickle in mid-July and will continue to spark a handful of shooting stars for several nights to come. But Earth passes through the densest part of the stream Aug. 12 at around 7 a.m. ET (1100 GMT). The moon will set around 1:30 a.m. local time (regardless of your location), leaving the sky dark for a few hours of optimal meteor watching across much of North America.
Meteor watching is easy. Find the darkest location you can, away from porch lights and other lighting. Use a blanket or lounge chair to lie back and scan as much of the sky as possible. Allow 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Binoculars and telescopes are of no use, as the meteors move too swiftly. Image VIA Space.com


