This week Saturday is a very special day. Weather depending, we will have awesome views of the Perseids meteor shower, which is supposed to peak Saturday night. Bring out your telescope and set up along the runway! We'll have chairs, blankets, and blow up beds for those who just want to gaze. We might even have popcorn. :)
Here is some more information on the meteor shower online:
https://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html
According to NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke, the Perseids are perhaps the most popular meteor shower of the year; and in 2018, they'll be the best shower of the year. During the Perseids' peak this month, spectators should see about 60-70 meteors per hour, but in outburst years (such as in 2016) the rate can be between 150-200 meteors an hour. The meteor shower's peak will be visible both the nights of Aug. 11-12 and Aug. 12-13, Cooke said, but he's inclined this year to lean toward the night of Aug. 12-13 for the better show. (Both, however, should be spectacular.)
"This year the moon will be near new moon, it will be a crescent, which means it will set before the Perseid show gets underway after midnight," Cooke told Space.com. "The moon is very favorable for the Perseids this year, and that'll make the Perseids probably the best shower of 2018 for people who want to go out and view it." The Perseids are rich in fireballs, so the show should be even better.
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