Hi everyone! We've had an overwhelming number of questions about local meteor viewing. Bill's latest blog post has some great information about this. Generally, the Perseids shower will begin around 10 p.m. YOUR local time. However, the best times to view are after midnight and before dawn, with the best activity around 3-4 a.m. local time. Best conditions are a clear, dark sky away from city lights. Go outside and look straight up at the sky.
Looking for a little excitement as the summer draws to a close? This year's Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of Aug. 12-13, and it promises to be one of the best displays of the year. If forecasters are correct, the shower should produce a peak display of at least 80 meteors per hour. A waxing crescent moon will set before the shower becomes active, setting a perfect stage for meteor watching -- weather permitting, of course!
Watch the Perseids! Live Video/Audio Feed
A live video/audio feed -- did you know meteors sing a song of blips, pings, and whistles? -- of the Perseid shower is embedded below. The camera is mounted at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Even before the camera activates, you can still hear the audio of meteors passing through the sky. Also, check out the "Perseids Fireball Cam", from a camera mounted in Chickamauga, Ga.
