One of the best shows of the year is coming to a sky near you early Sunday morning: the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, a celestial event observed by our ancestors for thousands of years.
The Perseids are named for the constellation Perseus, because the point from which they appear to be emanating from lays in that constellation. From our perspective, Perseus will appear in the North-Northeast after midnight.An annual event happening every August, the Perseid meteor shower is caused by the Earth passing through a debris cloud left by an old comet, Swift-Tuttle. Most of the debris is around a thousand years old and is actually quite small -- mostly specks of dust and fine particulate.
The Perseids are best viewed between 12am and 3am Sunday morning from somewhere outside the city, where light pollution is minimal.
The weather for Saturday night and Sunday morning is still up in the air. A 30% chance of rain is forecast for Saturday, but a 20km/hr wind is supposed to pick up that evening and may wipe the sky clean for a clear show. It is going to be chilly though, with a low of 12C, so bring a comfy chair, a blanket, and maybe a thermos of coffee.
