Lighting Up The Sky This Weekend!

Meteor showers tend to be best after midnight, and the Perseids are no exception. That’s why from midnight to dawn Saturday night, or Sunday night into Monday morning are the best times to watch this year’s Perseid meteor shower. In the northern hemisphere, the Perseids are often the best meteor shower of the year. At their peak, they typically produce 60 or more meteors an hour, with several meteors often coming in clumps every few minutes.

Meteor showers are a lot like sporting events. They always have an element of unpredictability and surprise. Even a shower as reliable as the Perseids can have a quiet period around the time of its peak. Or it can dazzle you with an unexpected flurry. And multiple peaks are always possible, too.
The fiery Perseid meteors happen every August, which is when our planet Earth passes through the orbital path of Comet Swift-Tuttle. Debris left behind by this comet encounters Earth’s atmosphere, and these vaporizing comet fragments give off a glow as they fall. With a new moon and clear weekend skies, this year should be one of the best in Western New York!