8/12/07 – If you have the energy and a good dark sky where you are tonight be sure to stay up and check out the Perseid meteor shower. This particularly well-known meteor shower peaks around the 11th-13th of August each year. This year it is predicted to be especially fantastic because the moon will be new and therefore not providing any light pollution to dull the viewing. During its peak hours there may be up to two meteors per minute. The peak is expected to occur around 2 am EST on Monday, which will be 1 am here at Sawbill tonight.
These meteors are now known to consist of the debris trail from the Swift-Tuttle comet. Every year when the Earth passes near to the orbit of this comet the dusty remains run into our atmosphere at about 37 miles per second causing the fiery streaks that cause us to ohhhh and ahhhh. – Caitlin