As there is a bit of a space theme going around the Internet this weekend; I thought I’d continue it. The annual Perseid Meteor shower is now upon us and is set to peak this Sunday night and during the small hours of Monday morning. The Perseids along with the Geminids in December are seen as the best displays of meteor activity throughout the year reaching a peak of 100 plus meteors an hour. The forecast is looking like there may be a few clear spots at the weekend so we might have a good chance of seeing the meteor shower.
The stunning picture above shows a Perseid caught over the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in 2010, if you are looking to watch the shower this weekend all you will need are some warm clothing (as it will get cold) and your own eyes. The meteors will all come from around the same area and shoot across the sky, so the best way to see them is to look up towards the Perseus constellation in the NE of the sky.
Remember if you do spot a Perseid over the incoming week make sure you take part in the meteorwatch campaign on twitter by tweeting #meteorwatch and your location. More information about the Perseids and the Meteor Watch can be found here at www.meteorwatch.org
Happy star gazing.