Night owls after midnight Saturday or early risers Sunday morning should be treated to a better Perseid meteor shower than last year, astronomers say.
The meteor shower peaks Sunday between 12:01 a.m. and twilight around 5:30 a.m. It also should be worthwhile to look skyward on Saturday between 9 p.m. and midnight.
A quarter-moon will rise at midnight Sunday and be high in the sky by dawn, but it shouldn’t interfere like last year’s full moon.
The shooting lights are caused by asteroids illuminated as they pass through the far tail of the Swift-Tuttle Comet.
“The Perseids are pretty consistent year to year, unlike some other meteor showers. Certain parts (of Earth) get them better — it was Europe’s turn last year,” said John Gallagher, who teaches astronomy, geology and integrated science at Port Angeles High School.
He saw the meteor showers in a one-hour span earlier this week, so Sunday morning’s sky show is promising, Gallagher said.
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