Latest news with #shootingstars
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Everything you need to know about the Perseid meteor shower
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The will start in the evening on July 17, bringing thousands of shooting stars to skies across the Northern Hemisphere. Here's everything you need to know about it. WHAT ARE THEY? happen when a group of meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere from one specific point in the sky. Once a meteoroid enters the atmosphere, it becomes a meteor. As the atmosphere eats away at them, meteors leave a trail of debris. Because of the high speeds, they appear like a bright streak of light. The Perseids, considered the most prolific meteor shower of the year, earned the name because they appear to come from the constellation Perseus. The showers happen every night until Aug. 23 and typically peak on Aug. 12. WHERE DO METEORS COME FROM? Meteors are bits of broken asteroids and leftover particles from comets. The meteors in the Perseid meteor shower come from one specific comet: . According to NASA, Swift-Tuttle takes approximately 133 years to orbit the Sun. The comet was first discovered in 1862 by astronomers Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. Three years later, Giovanni Schiaparelli discovered that the Perseid meteors came from the comet. Swift-Tuttle last passed near Earth in 1992. It is forecasted to pass by Earth again in 2126. HOW MANY METEORS ARE THERE? Typically, the Perseids average about 25 meteors per hour, but sometimes they reach anywhere between flash in an hour. The highest rates are between 150 and 200 meteors, but that's only in 'outburst' years and when they also have low moonlight. HOW FAST ARE THEY MOVING? A typical meteoroid from the Perseids is traveling at more than 133,000 miles per hour when it hits the planet's atmosphere. Most of them are extremely small and are quickly destroyed. In rare situations, meteor fragments will make it to the ground. That's when the term changes from meteor to meteorite. The speed combined with the friction of the atmosphere drastically heats up the meteors. NASA estimates they reach upwards of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit while traversing Earth's atmosphere. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE THE PERSEIDS? Stargazing experts recommend going to the darkest possible location — dark sky parks are a great bet — and take 30 minutes or so to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark. The meteor shower typically starts around 11 p.m. and continues until dawn. The can be found in the northeast horizon and is somewhat shaped like a stick figure with a pointed head. It's usually easier to find — a brighter constellation shaped like a W. Perseus and the origin point for the Perseids will be slightly below. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
7 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
The Perseid Meteor Shower Begins Thursday: When To See It At Its Best
A perseid 'falling star' on a clear sky in august The Perseid meteor shower in 2025 will begin in perfect conditions — but it won't last. The much loved annual summer display of 'shooting stars' in the Northern Hemisphere will commence on Thursday, July 17, but with the peak night in August set to be marred by strong moonlight, there are two nights to see it at its best. Here's everything you need to know about this year's Perseid meteor shower. Where And When To Look The best time to see the Perseid meteor shower is typically on its peak night, which this year occurs overnight on Aug. 12-13, when up to 100 meteors per hour can be visible under perfect conditions. However, that's just a few days after a full moon, which will bleach the night sky and make all but the brightest Perseids visible. The best nights to see the Perseids this year will, therefore, be away from the peak night. On July 17, the last quarter moon will rise around midnight and later each night after that for the next week. That creates a nice viewing window from July 17-30, during which you should see a few Perseids. With the Delta Aquariid and Alpha Capricornid meteors showers peaking together overnight on July 29-30, that's probably the best night for shooting stars this summer. Around Aug. 15, when the full moon has waned, is another good time to see some stragglers from the Perseids. What You'll See During this early phase of the Perseids, rates will be modest — perhaps 5–15 meteors per hour. But what you miss in quantity, you'll make up for in quality: skies will be darker now than they will be during the August peak when the full moon will overpower all but the brightest shooting stars. Luckily, the Perseids are known for their fast, bright meteors, many with long trails. Look vaguely northeast for the radiant of the Perseids, which lies in the constellation Perseus. However, meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, so give yourself a wide, unobstructed view. Observing Tips For the best chance of seeing Perseids, find a dark location away from city lights. Clear weather is key, so check local forecasts and scout a location with minimal horizon obstructions. Meteor showers are best observed with the naked eye, with a telescope or binoculars a poor choice. A lawn chair can help, or lie on your back on a blanket. Avoid looking at phones, which will instantly kill your night vision, and use red lights instead. The wise stargazer brings warm clothes, bug spray and snacks — and takes breaks from staring at the sky every 30 minutes or so. What's Next In The Night Sky The next major meteor shower after the Perseids is the Orionids. Active from Oct. 2 to Nov. 12, that meteor shower will peak overnight on Oct. 22-23. It coincides with October's new moon, so conditions should be perfect — clear skies allowing. However, at 10-20 shooting stars per hour (away from light pollution), it's not as prolific as the Perseids. For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
One of the Best Meteor Showers of 2025 Is About to Begin—and It Can Be Seen Across the U.S.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks the night of Aug. 12 into the early hours of Aug. 13, with up to 100 meteors per hour visible, especially in dark-sky areas across the of the best shooting star displays of the year is coming to a sky near you. The annual Perseid meteor shower is visible across most of the U.S. from mid-July to late August. This year, the meteor shower is expected to peak on the night of Aug. 12 and before dawn on Aug. 13. According to to catch the shower's peak, you should start observing the night skies around 11 p.m. local time on Aug. 12 when the rates of shooting stars increase. The peak display will continue until dawn on Aug. 13. During this viewing window, you can expect to see an average of up to 100 meteors per hour. The Perseids meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through debris (bits of ice and rock) left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, a comet that is also the largest known object to repeatedly pass by Earth. The comet debris moves at around 133,200 mph in space and is typically the size of a grain of sand. The fragments become visible when they enter the atmosphere and burn up in a bright burst of light, streaking through the sky. Although the debris enters the Earth's atmosphere, it rarely hits the ground. The Perseid meteor shower is most easily seen from the Northern Hemisphere, but is also visible in the mid-southern latitudes. Although it can technically be viewed from anywhere in the U.S., the meteor shower is much easier to see in dark-sky destinations where there is less light pollution. It is also helpful to find somewhere where the sky is wide and open since buildings and mountains can obscure the view. No telescopes or binoculars are needed to see the Persied meteor shower, but recommends giving your eyes 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. It also helps to know where the meteors will come from. According to NASA, the meteor shower radiates from the Perseus constellation, which follows the easier-to-find Cassiopeia constellation across the night sky. If you can find Perseus, you'll know where the meteors will streak across the sky during the celestial event's peak. The Perseid meteor shower occurs annually in August, however in 2028, the shower is expected to evolve into a storm that will be even more spectacular than the standard, annual event. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
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Travel + Leisure
13-07-2025
- Science
- Travel + Leisure
One of the Best Meteor Showers of the Year Is About to Begin—and It Can Be Seen Across the U.S.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks the night of Aug. 12 into the early hours of Aug. 13, with up to 100 meteors per hour visible, especially in dark-sky areas across the U.S. One of the best shooting star displays of the year is coming to a sky near you. The annual Perseid meteor shower is visible across most of the U.S. from mid-July to late August. This year, the meteor shower is expected to peak on the night of Aug. 12 and before dawn on Aug. 13. According to to catch the shower's peak, you should start observing the night skies around 11 p.m. local time on Aug. 12 when the rates of shooting stars increase. The peak display will continue until dawn on Aug. 13. During this viewing window, you can expect to see an average of up to 100 meteors per hour. The Perseids meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through debris (bits of ice and rock) left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, a comet that is also the largest known object to repeatedly pass by Earth. The comet debris moves at around 133,200 mph in space and is typically the size of a grain of sand. The fragments become visible when they enter the atmosphere and burn up in a bright burst of light, streaking through the sky. Although the debris enters the Earth's atmosphere, it rarely hits the ground. The Perseid meteor shower is most easily seen from the Northern Hemisphere, but is also visible in the mid-southern latitudes. Although it can technically be viewed from anywhere in the U.S., the meteor shower is much easier to see in dark-sky destinations where there is less light pollution. It is also helpful to find somewhere where the sky is wide and open since buildings and mountains can obscure the view. No telescopes or binoculars are needed to see the Persied meteor shower, but recommends giving your eyes 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. It also helps to know where the meteors will come from. According to NASA, the meteor shower radiates from the Perseus constellation, which follows the easier-to-find Cassiopeia constellation across the night sky. If you can find Perseus, you'll know where the meteors will streak across the sky during the celestial event's peak. The Perseid meteor shower occurs annually in August, however in 2028, the shower is expected to evolve into a storm that will be even more spectacular than the standard, annual event.
