Stargazing: This week’s meteor shower may feature unusually high activity

The most watched meteor shower of the year is called the Perseids — and it’s peaking, possibly with a boost, on Aug. 11-12 (Thursday night through Friday morning).

Nevertheless, summertime meteor observing can also take place the day before and after thepeak night.

The best time to view this week’s Perseids is after the first quarter moon sets at about 1 a.m. This allows the sky to darken so both faint and bright meteors become visible.

Perseid meteors originate from vast, loose ribbons of sand-size debris shed by Comet Swift-Tuttle discovered in 1862. These separate ribbons create periods at night when meteors are absent from the sky followed by numerous meteors suddenly appearing.

Swift-Tuttle passes into the inner solar system every 130 years. As its debris penetrates the Earth’s thin upper atmosphere, the material burns up and disintegrates creating what we call shooting stars or meteors.

During a peak display, 60 or more Perseid meteors may be seen each hour streaking across the dark sky. Absent of a bright moon, I’ve experienced my best Perseid viewing occurring between 1 and 4 a.m.

However, if meteor experts from the United States and Russia are correct, this Friday’s pre-dawn skies may unleash as many as 150 meteors or more an hour.

I share this possibility with great caution. This is a large number. And out-of- the-ordinary predictions are often wrong — especially when it comes to unusual astronomical events. We are only certain in hindsight. But at the same time, I look forward to observing what this month’s peak meteor night might offer us.

Why possibly such a large number of meteors this year? It appears that over the decades the giant planet Jupiter has gravitationally nudged more of Swift-Tuttle’s debris closer to the Earth, where it can smash into our atmosphere — creating more meteors than usual.

This large number of “shooting stars” creating the Perseid meteors radiates from an upside down V-shaped constellation called Perseus. This nest of stars rises in the northeast sky about midnight.

Perseids move swiftly across the sky at a speed of about 40 miles per second. At this speed, most of these meteors burn up at a height of about 60 miles.

Meteors seen skimming along the horizon, can be a few hundred miles away.

If you can’t escape the glare of neighborhood lights, then try observing in the darkest portion of the sky and from the darkest part of your backyard.

On the evening of Aug. 12, the LIGO Hanford Observatory (LHO) north of Richland will hold an event for the public called “Black Holes and Star Gazing.” Activities begin at 8 p.m. inside the LIGO auditorium with LHO Head Fred Raab talking about LIGO’s 2015 gravitational wave discovery. He will also provide a summary of the results from LIGO’s latest gravitational wave searches.

Following Fred’s presentation and as the sky darkens, attendees are invited to walk outdoors for a night of stargazing hosted by members of the Tri-City Astronomy Club. Using telescopes, attendees will see close-up views of the cratered moon, Mars, Saturn and deep sky objects such as galaxies and star clusters. And the brightest Perseid meteors may also be visible streaking down the Milky Way or across the Big Dipper.

All ages are welcome. Admission is free. Bring a friend to experience the night sky together.

Want to learn more about this event including driving directions? Then search on your computer under “LIGO Hanford Hosts August 2016 Public Lecture and Star Gaze.”

If you plan to spend a few hours outside watching the night sky, then relax in a comfortable folding chair, keep a warm blanket nearby, and wear a light coat. Hot coffee or tea can help keep you awake.

This story was originally published August 6, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Stargazing: This week’s meteor shower may feature unusually high activity."