The Perseids Meteor Shower is making an appearance in August --- just like it has every year since at least 36 A.D. when the first record was made of the phenomenon. What causes us to see this every year?
“The Tuttle-Swift comet kept moving too close to the sun, and the heat made debris out of some of it. That debris is what the earth passes through every August and see it as the Perseids Meteor Shower,” explains Dr. Carolyn Sumner of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
It lasts for a few days and she says:
- the best place to see it is away from city lights - you need a dark sky as a back drop.
- The best time and date to see it is the night of August 12, beginning around 11:00 PM.
- The best public viewing spot for you is the George Observatory at Brazos Bend State Park. There’s plenty of deck, park rangers for protection, and lots of open sky. Oh – and bathrooms, to
Just pack up the kids, some lawn chairs and your mosquito repellent and find a spot to watch the sky!