Not necessarily a RALEIGH-specific event since you can see it worldwide, but tonight and this week is the best time to see the Perseid Meteor shower of 2020!
What is the Perseids meteor shower?
The Perseids meteor shower appears when Earth passes through the rubble left by Comet Swift-Tuttle and peaks this week in the early morning hours on Wednesday (Aug. 12), according to NASA. But you should still be able to enjoy great views of the Perseids on Aug. 11 and Aug. 13 as well if you can find your way to some dark skies. The bright meteor shower has offered an impressive show in the past!
When should we watch?
The best time to watch is after midnight Tuesday night, but before moonrise at 12:15am. Typically meteor numbers increase after midnight, but just before sunrise on all three peak mornings (August 11, 12 and 13) fairly bright moonlight will flood the sky and prevent the best view.
If midnight is too late for you, you can still watch the sky after sunset. If you’re lucky, the evening hours might offer you an earthgrazer – a long, slow, colorful meteor traveling horizontally across the evening sky. Earthgrazer meteors are rare but memorable. Perseid earthgrazers appear before midnight, when the radiant point of the shower is close to the horizon.
Where should we watch from?
EarthSky’s worldwide Best Places to Stargaze map shows Medoc Mountain State Park is the closest stargazing spot near Raleigh. I’d also think Occoneechee Mountain would offer a good view, but I’m not sure about the light pollution there and it’s only open until 9pm. However, any spot away from light pollution will work fine. Especially if you can place yourself in a shadow so the moon is not shining directly on you. Use a tree, house, or anything else to block you from the moon.
Is tonight the only time I can see them?
Perseid meteors have been visible since around July 17 and they will continue for 10 days or so after the peak this week, although less impressive. However, each morning after Wednesday less moonlight will obscure the show so you might have a better view. Starting on or around August 17, there will moon-free skies all night long for the best view, but the meteors will be less.
What about virtual star-gazing?
Don’t worry, we can even make star-gazing virtual these days! If after midnight is too late for you, The Virtual Telescope Project will be hosting a live Perseids-watching event beginning at 6 p.m. on Aug. 11. They will provide online views through a number of robotic telescopes, coordinated by the Bellatrix Astronomical Observatory in Italy.