If you’ve been waiting to make a wish, this weekend might be your best opportunity to spot a shooting star.
The Perseids – a meteor shower visible from late July to mid-August each year – peak this weekend and will be at their peak Sunday night into Monday morning. Although the rain can be seen around the world, it is expected to be most noticeable in the northern hemisphere – causing joy among American stargazers as national parks such as California‘s Joshua Tree is bracing for a surge in visitors.
The Perseids pass through our atmosphere every year when Earth orbits through debris left by the Swift-Tuttle comet. When that debris enters Earth’s atmosphere—sometimes at speeds of up to 160,000 mph—and begins to burn, it appears like a shooting star. During the peak of the Perseid shower, viewers can expect to see up to 100 such shooting stars every hour.
To get the most out of this annual wonder, Douglas C Leonard, a professor of astronomy at San Diego State University, recommends finding a dark corner of your neighborhood, or getting out of town. “You want to get as far away from any light sources as possible, and then find a spot with as unobstructed a view of the whole sky as you can.”
“State and national parks are typically good for this, and some will even have special programs designed specifically for Perseid viewing,” says Leonard. But rest assured, adds the professor, “the Perseids are known to produce very bright meteors which is visible from even non-ideal locations, so wherever you are, you’ll probably be rewarded if you look up a little near the shower’s peak.”
If you can make a special weekend out of the shower, the national parks are known for having some of the darkest skies in the country. Some of the best stargazing can be found in Fort Union National Monument New MexicoGreat Sand Dunes national park ColoradoJoshua Tree in California and Great Basin National Park Nevada.
Some national parks have been flooded with visitors for astronomical events in the past, such as the total solar eclipse earlier this year. Huge crowds in Joshua Tree for last year’s Perseids asked park officials to ask visitors to stay home the second night of the event.
This year, Joshua Tree officials warned visitors and nearby towns to hold off for crowds over the weekend. “Local communities and businesses should expect increased traffic to the park,” the park said a news release. “Due to the park’s proximity to major cities, traffic can be heavy and can cause delays of up to several hours while entering the park.”
However, if you can only get outside for a few minutes this weekend, fear not—you’ll probably still see some shooting stars. Leonard just recommends taking a few simple steps to prepare: “You want your eyes to be pretty dark-adapted, which can only happen when you’re away from local lighting,” like street lights and your phone.
The moon is expected to set around midnight local time on Sunday when the Perseids reach their peak, so the best time to see shooting stars will be after 1am. If you want to maximize the number of shooting stars you’ll be able to see, Leonard suggests waiting until closer to 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. And then, just look up – no special equipment needed.
“This is one astronomical event best seen with your eyes!” said Leonard. “What you simply want is the best, unobstructed view of the dark night sky. Then lie back and just keep looking up.”
