This Thursday and Friday, a meteor shower will light up the sky in New York State. The Perseids, which are usually active from July through September each year, will be making an appearance this week. According to the Times-Union,

The Perseids specifically are fragments from the Comet Swift-Tuttle. Every summer around this time, Earth passes near the path of this comet, and its especially fast-moving debris create an abundant meteor shower that is widely regarded by space fans as one of the best of the year.

 

Perseid Meteor Shower
In this 30 second exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in Spruce Knob, West Virginia. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/ NASA via Getty Images)
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Perseids are also known for their fireballs.

Although the Perseid meteor shower has been active, the best time for viewing will be this week,

The Perseid meteor shower c will peak on the night of Thursday, Aug. 11 into the early hours of Friday, Aug. 12, according to the American Meteor Society.

 

The Annual Perseid Meteor Shower From Bryce Canyon National Park
A Perseid meteor streaks across the sky between the hoodoos named Thor's Hammer (L) and the Three Sisters (R) early on August 13, 2016 in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. The annual display, known as the Perseid shower because the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, is a result of Earth's orbit passing through debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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NASA recommends that you watch from a dark, rural area.  The more stars you can see in the sky, the better view of the Perseids you will likely have. In order to catch the meteor shower at the best time, you'll need to set an alarm and you'll probably want some coffee. The early hours of the morning are recommended for watching,

Theoretically, the best time to watch the Perseids is just before the break of dawn when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. This is usually around 04:00 local time. Experienced observers often say the hour between 03:00 and 04:00 is usually the best, not 04:00 to 05:00.

EarthSky says that the moon could potentially hamper the visibility of the meteor shower, so you may want to start watching earlier this week,

Unfortunately, the moon will be up all night during the predicted peak of 2022’s Perseid meteor shower.

 

The Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Offers Celestial Show In Night Sky
Perseid meteors fall as a satellite passes across the sky early August 12, 2008 near Rogers Spring in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada. The meteor display, known as the Perseid shower because it appears to radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, is a result of Earth's orbit passing through debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. Tuesday morning was considered the peak of the shower, which is visible every August. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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If you're just not able to watch this week, it will be visible again, but not until late October.

The best weather conditions for watching the Perseids and the supermoon are predicted across much of the West Coast, the nation's heartland and a swath of the Ohio Valley, interior Northeast and St. Lawrence Valley.

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