Perseid meteor shower peaks Wednesday night under new moon

The Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak on Wednesday night and continue into the early hours of Thursday. Because the peak coincides with a new moon, the lack of moonlight is expected to create optimal viewing conditions, according to local forecasts that call for mostly clear skies.

Astronomers note that observers in suburban areas can expect to see about a dozen meteors per hour, while those in the city may see roughly half that number. In darker, rural locations, the rate could rise to two dozen or more per hour. The most favorable viewing window is between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., when the radiant—the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate—will be highest.

"The later you stay up, the better the show gets," a local astronomy spokesperson said.

The Perseids, named after the constellation Perseus, have been recorded since at least 36 A.D. in China. Modern study identified the source of the meteors as debris from comet Swift-Tuttle, a periodic comet about 16 miles across. When these particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 37 miles per second, they generate a hot shock wave that creates the visible streaks of light. None of the particles reach the ground.

Observers are advised to find a dark site away from city lights, allow their eyes about 20 minutes to adapt to the darkness, and look toward any part of the sky, as meteors can appear anywhere.