August is the best month for watching meteors. Get outside, preferably all night in your sleeping bag, and just look up. You’ll see meteors from many showers, but especially the Perseids, which peak on the nights of August 11 and especially the 12th.
I remember camping out in the front yard when I was maybe 8 or 9 and watching the stars slowly wheel to the west, with many shots of excitement when a shooting star zipped across the sky. The experience fueled my life-long love of astronomy.
What’s your first meteor experience?
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi John,
Any suggestions on where to view the shower in mid-penninsula?
Twitter: @TheJohnSoares
Ryan, I just got back from backpacking in the Trinity Alps, so I wasn’t able to reply before last night’s peak.
I’d say get to a large park or hiking area near the crest of the ridge down the peninsula, wherever there is the least amount of light.
There should still be some activity tonight. And there are several other minor showers happening now, so you’ll see at least a few meteors an hour for the next week or so.