Perseids meteor shower to reach peak visibility in Upper Cumberland Sunday.
Tennessee Tech Astronomy and Physics Professor Steve Robinson says meteor showers like this one are quite common, happening multiple times a year in various places. However, he said this one will likely be more visible than most thanks to the current moon phase.
“Sometimes, if a meteor shower happens when the moon is full, the moon is so bright that you really can’t see much apart from the moon itself,” Robinson said. “This time the moon will only be at about ten percent of its full brightness, so we should be able to see quite a few meteors–up to 50 an hour, possibly, if you look carefully.”
Robinson said meteor showers occur when the Earth crosses paths with really small debris, usually pebbles and dust, and burns them as they pass through the upper levels of the atmosphere. He said the objects are so small that there is no chance of anything passing through or causing danger of any kind.
Robinson said the best way to view a shower is to get away from light pollution and find an area where you can view the sky without obstructions. He said you should find something to lie on–the ground or perhaps your car–and be patient as you look up because the shower is much slower than people think.
“Sometimes the movies will depict these things as if they’re raining meteors–that you will not see,” Robinson said. “Maybe you’ll see one a minute, something like that on average.”
The shower has been active since mid-July and will likely last until late August, but it will be most visible for the Upper Cumberland on Sunday.
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