Perseid meteor shower to peak tonight

ALPENA, Mich. — The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight.

This is an annual shower that earned it’s name because the meteors will be radiating outwards from the part of the sky that astronomers call Perseus. Perseus was the Greek mythological hero that defeated the snake-haired monster, Medusa.

While we might see more shooting stars than usual throughout the week, the best times to view the meteor shower will be today after sunset and tomorrow morning, as Planetarium Coordinator for Besser Museum, Johnathan Winckowski explains. “The best time will be after midnight though as it will take some time for the constellation to rise up above the horizon, so, just keep that in mind,” he said.

Winckowski recommends heading to your nearest dark sky park around 10:30 tonight. During the peak times, he says to expect around 60 meteors per hour, making it the best meteor shower for the summer.