Tonight, if the clouds cooperate, you can see the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower. You may even be able to see one to two of these meteors a minute!

The peak viewing time is between 2am and sunrise. Look towards the constellation Perseus (that is how they got the name Perseid meteors)... that is to the Northeast. According to SCIENCE@NASA article, these meteors will approach from the horizon and "skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond".

The meteors assoicated with this shower are from the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The dust from this comet, disintegrates as it hits the atmosphere, creating the "streak".

When it comes to the forecast for tonight, we are expected variable clouds early, with clearing as the night progresses. Late tonight should be okay for viewing.

Ray Petelin,
WSEE Storm Team Meteorologist