Sky watchers in the Southern Tier, N.Y. should be able to see a mid August meteor display as the Perseid shower peaks, WBNG reported. The shower will be most active from about 11 p.m. through early morning, offering a seasonal show during warm summer nights.
NASA describes the Perseids as one of the most plentiful annual showers, with observers often seeing roughly 50 to 100 meteors per hour under favorable conditions, the report said. Those meteors create long wakes of light and color as dust grains collide with the atmosphere.
Cornell University research associate Jake Turner, with the Department of Astronomy and the Carl Sagan Institute, told WBNG that viewing should be excellent because the peak coincides with a new moon this year. Turner said the lack of moonlight will reduce natural skyglow and improve visibility for observers.
NASA attributes the Perseids to debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which takes about 133 years to complete one orbit of the sun. The shower occurs each year as Earth moves through the comet's dust trail and atmospheric friction makes particles glow, the agency explained.
Viewing Advice And Observers Reactions
Turner emphasized that no telescope is required and urged people simply to lie back and watch the sky, as quoted by WBNG. He said, you do not need a telescope and that meteors should appear as bright streaks across the sky, visible to the unaided eye if weather permits.
Turner also reflected on the experience of watching meteor showers, saying they connect people to something larger and offer free access to natural beauty. He encouraged residents to enjoy summer nights outdoors in upstate New York and to take advantage of the new moon conditions for the best views.
