The bright Perseids are perhaps the most popular meteor shower of the year.
Spectators can expect to see the greatest number of meteors during the shower’s peak Wednesday morning, according to NASA. Years without moonlight see higher rates of meteors per hour, and in outburst years (such as in 2016), the rate can be between 150-200 meteors per hour.
Space.com advises if the last-quarter moon that will appear during the shower this year is especially bright, they’ll be washed out.
This year, the moon won’t get in the way quite as much as it did last year, but its bright glow could have a smaller impact on the ability to clearly spot the Perseids.
To best see the Perseids, go to the darkest possible location and lean back to observe as much sky as possible directly above you.
One of the areas offering the darkest skies in Arkansas is the Buffalo National River (BNR), a front-row seat to the universe. Designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2019, the BNR is dedicated to preserving naturally dark night skies by implementing responsible outdoor lighting practices and offering public programs about astronomy and the effects of light pollution.
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The best time to look for meteors is in the pre-dawn hours. While the meteors will peak Wednesday morning, they will also be very visible Tuesday and Thursday. Even outside of this peak time frame, you should be able to spot a few meteors between midnight and dawn any morning this week, according to NASA.
To see the meteors, look up and to the north.
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