August's full moon likely to outshine Perseid meteor shower, NASA astronomer says

NASA astronomer Bill Cooke reports that the Perseid meteor shower will peak on Aug. 12 and 13 this year, at the same time as the August full moon. The moon's bright light will overpower the meteors' shine, and stargazers should expect to see 10-20 meteors per hour at best, unlike last year.

The Perseids is the most beloved meteor shower in the Northern Hemisphere. This celestial event happens when there is a spike in the quantity of "shooting stars" seen streaking through the night sky. The Perseids get their name from the radiant they seem to originate from, the constellation Perseus.

National Geographic defines meteors as the streaks of light we see when tiny pieces of space debris burn up at the top of the Earth's atmosphere while travelling at high speeds. The Perseids travel around 130,000 miles per hour and tend to strengthen in numbers past midnight until early dawn.

The August Perseid meteor shower comes annually, with colourful meteors that frequently leave persistent trains. Under normal conditions, an area with low light pollution and clear skies can expect 50 to 75 visible Perseid meteors at the shower's peak.

However, interference with the full moon will likely lower the number of meteors observable from Earth. Astronomer Gianluca Masi from the Virtual Telescope Project (VTP) articulates, "Our satellite, with its light, can literally ruin the show. Last year, for example, was superb because the moon was basically new, so it was not visible: we had zero contamination by moonlight."

Masi suggests those interested in watching the Perseid showers view them before the peak time to avoid moonlight interference. The astronomer says observing the "shooting stars" on the night of August 9-10 would be best as the shower is still relatively active in the few days before the peak.

At that time, the moon will set about 60 minutes before dawn. The incredibly dark sky left at the end of the night is the most desirable condition for night sky watching.