Swift-Tuttle meteor shower happening Thursday night

Published 12:36 am Wednesday, August 11, 2021

By Steve Norris

Weather News

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Typical August weather is the story for the week ahead with about a 30 percent chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms each day. High temperatures in the low 90s and lows in the mid 70s can be expected.

Hopefully, the clouds will give us a break Thursday night and allow us to view the meteor shower.

This is one of the best meteor showers of the year and it happens Thursday night and early Friday morning.

The shower is produced by Comet Swift-Tuttle which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright  meteors.

The best viewing time is from midnight to 2 a.m. although they can be seen any time that night. It would be best to look to the north or northeast, but high in the sky.

The crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving us with dark skies for perfect viewing if the clouds will just give us a break.

That bright planet that you can see in the western sky after sunset is Venus, and it will be joined this week by the moon.

You can reach me anytime with questions, or if you need weather data, drop me an email to weather1@charter.net.