Perseid meteors troubled by moonlight at 2009 peak
DownloadTonight is Tuesday, Aug 11 2009
Before dawn, the constellation Perseus – radiant point of the Perseid meteor shower – is close to overhead. That’s why – before dawn on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 12 and 13, 2009 – the meteors will be raining down from the top of the sky.
Unfortunately, the waning gibbous moon is up between midnight and dawn – the best hours for meteor-watching. Although the Perseids tend to put out the greatest number of meteors during the wee morning hours, the moonlit glare will wash out many if not most Perseid meteors in 2009.
Like bright moonlight, city lights can completely blot out a meteor shower. So if you want to try watching the Perseids, be sure to get away from city lights.
By the way, you might hear some very specific times for the peak, for specific locations. Unless you’re in one of those locations, ignore those times. Just aim for a dark location between midnight and dawn on Tuesday or Wednesday morning. If you do that – even in the moon’s glare – you might see some meteors!
And if the moon washes out your fun this year … there’s always next year. The Perseids are one of the most famous showers in history. Check out the science and history of the Perseid meteor shower.
