If you've been holding onto a wish, waiting for a shooting star, the week of Aug. 8-14 is probably a sure bet. During that time, intense streaks of light, caused by small bits of interplanetary rocks and debris, will be burning across the early morning sky.
The stellar light show is courtesy of the 2008 Perseid meteor shower, and those living in the northern hemisphere have the best seat in the house. Stargazers may see dozens of meteors per hour. The ideal time to view the Perseid will be from 2 a.m. on Aug. 9 after the moon sets, until dawn on Aug. 12.
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most reliable astronomy events in history, and has been observed for about 2,000 years. Every year the Earth passes through the Perseid cloud which stretches along the orbit of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseid cloud includes dust, ice and rock that was ejected from the comet, and that debris enters Earth's atmosphere at extremely high rates of speed. The meteors burn up and are usually completely vaporized about 100 km above the Earth's atmosphere.
Science North will host three free star parties on Aug. 11, 12 and 13 for anyone who would like to learn more about the Perseid meteor shower or other interesting things in the night sky. The star parties will take place at Science North from 10 p.m. to midnight, weather permitting.
Call the Science North Star Party hotline at 522-3701 ext. 243 after 6 p.m. on the night of the event to get more details.
