Report It: Perseid Meteor Shower

(WWLP) - Video submitted by Rebecca Burgos - Westfield, Ma; The 2012 Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of August 11. Video sent to Report It on Sunday, August 12, 2012.

__________________________________

From NASA.gov

Perseids Update, Aug. 12, 2012: Hello, skywatchers! You can still see Perseids on the night of Aug. 12-13. The rates will be lower tonight, approximately 40 per hour. Some meteors are visible after 10 p.m. local time, but the best times to view them will be from midnight until dawn, your local time. Peak rates will be between 3-5 a.m. You will need dark, clear skies away from city lights. Lie on your back and look straight up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. Allow your eyes at least 30 minutes to dark-adjust. For those viewing in South America, you can see Perseids tonight if you are viewing from north of 32 degrees south latitude.

About the Perseids

The Perseids have been observed for at least 2,000 years and are associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun once every 133 years. Each year in August, the Earth passes through a cloud of the comet's debris. These bits of ice and dust -- most over 1,000 years old -- burn up in the Earth's atmosphere to create one of the best meteor showers of the year. The Perseids can be seen all over the sky, but the best viewing opportunities will be across the northern hemisphere. Those with sharp eyes will see that the meteors radiate from the direction of the constellation Perseus.
 
Janet Anderson, 256-544-0034
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.