CINCINNATI — Ready to see some shooting stars? The Perseid meteor shower is an annual event and this year's forecast will be great for viewing in the overnight hours.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 11-13. The shooting stars that you can see in this event come from debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which left behind countless tiny pieces of its tail as it went around the sun.
You may see some articles touting headlines about up to 100 meteors per hour. There's no doubt it is one of the best shooting star displays of the year.
Astronomer Dean Regas passed along some tips for viewing this event and some realistic expectations:
- Lower your expectations! You'll most likely see 10-20 meteors per hour
- Getting away from city lights and closer to darkness will help you see more meteors
- Bring a comfortable chair — no need for binoculars or a telescope
- Face east from sunset to midnight
- The best viewing is from 2-5 a.m. facing south
- Keep scanning the sky since meteors can come from many directions
The forecast calls for mostly clear skies on all these nights so you should have optimal viewing conditions and great temperatures to sit outside and take in this event.
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