Look Up Tonight! The Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Over Northwest Kansas

I

f you've been looking for an excuse to stay up a little later tonight, Mother Nature has one ready for you.

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower reaches its peak overnight Wednesday, August 12 into Thursday, August 13, and it could put on one of the best sky shows of the year for Northwest Kansas. Even better, this year's viewing conditions are expected to be excellent thanks to a very dark sky with little moonlight to wash out the meteors.

Why is the Perseid Meteor Shower so special?

The Perseids are considered one of the most popular meteor showers of the year for several reasons:

• They are reliable, returning every August.

• They produce lots of bright meteors, including spectacular "fireballs."

• They are active during warm summer nights, making them comfortable to watch.

• Under dark skies, you could see 50 to 100 meteors per hour, with occasional bursts producing even more.

The meteors are actually tiny bits of dust and rock left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. As Earth passes through the comet's debris trail each August, those tiny particles slam into our atmosphere at nearly 133,000 miles per hour, burning up and creating the streaks of light we call "shooting stars."

Can you see it from Northwest Kansas?

Absolutely!

Northwest Kansas offers some of the darkest skies in the state, making it a fantastic place to watch the Perseids. If skies stay mostly clear, residents from Colby, Goodland, Oakley, Atwood, St. Francis, Sharon Springs, Hoxie, Oberlin and surrounding communities should have an excellent opportunity to catch the show.

The farther you can get from town lights, the better the experience will be.

When should you watch?

While you may catch an occasional meteor after sunset, the best viewing window is:

Midnight until dawn Thursday morning

The highest number of meteors is usually seen during the pre-dawn hours when Earth is rotating into the stream of comet debris.

How to watch

The best part? No telescope or binoculars are needed.

Here's how to get the most out of the experience:

• Find a dark location away from city lights.

• Bring a lawn chair, blanket or sleeping bag.

• Let your eyes adjust to the darkness for about 20 to 30 minutes.

• Look generally toward the northeastern sky, but don't stare at one spot. Meteors can appear anywhere overhead.

• Put the phone away and simply enjoy the show!

Patience is key. Some minutes may be quiet, then several meteors can streak across the sky in rapid succession.

Make it a family adventure

The Perseids are a perfect excuse to gather the family, pack some snacks, and spend a summer evening under the stars. Whether you see five meteors or fifty, every shooting star is a tiny piece of a comet that's been traveling through space for centuries before creating a brilliant flash above Northwest Kansas.

So tonight, grab a chair, head out to the country, and don't forget to make a wish!

Clear skies, Northwest Kansas!