BE ON THE LOOKOUT: PERSEIDES METEOR SHOWERS

Nature lovers, look up to see the 2015 Perseid meteor shower…it’s supposed to be at its peak on the mornings of Aug. 11, 12, 13, and 14…perfect viewing conditions, too, as the moon will be dark. Estimates run from 50 to 100 meteors per hour. Meteors will originate in the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, but can appear all over the sky, going in all directions.

Evening hours might yield those long glowing eye-popping memorable streakers, while early pre-dawn hours will probably produce the most numbers. It would be a great time to sleep outdoors, or to have a star party…

Here are some tips to get the most out of your meteor shower-watching experience:
• Find an open location away from light pollution.
• Be comfortable…sit or lie down…fill your entire peripheral vision with the night sky.
• Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness, which can take up to 20 minutes and be disrupted by looking at a bright phone or tablet screen. If you need a flashlight, use a red filter.
• Be patient. Give yourself anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour.
• No need for telescopes or binoculars, which will make it harder for you to see meteors since they only cover a small sky portion.