The annual Perseid meteor shower is in process right this minute, though you won’t be able to see any of the legendary streaming lights until it gets dark. The good news: tonight is the best night to see the show.
One of the greatest places in Sonoma Valley to witness the display is at Ferguson Observatory at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in Kenwood, but last night’s stargazing session was cancelled. However, the light fantastic is visible to the naked eye. Among the most spectacular celestial events of the year, the shower comes to us courtesy the Comet Swift-Tuttle, whose wide tail intersect Earth’s orbit even though the two bodies are far apart (you might say light years apart).
The source of the night time display is the effect of tiny bits of comet dust smashing into the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of 132,000 mph. It doesn’t take more than an iota of dust traveling at that rate to create a vivid streak of light (a meteor) when it finally disintegrates. In this case, the dustier the better. The meteors’ originate in the constellation Perseus – hence the nomenclature.
So get up early – seriously early – tomorrow because the prime viewing time is during the hours just before sunrise.
