Perseid meteor shower starts tonight

The Perseid meteor showers are expected this year on 12th and 13th August, 2011. These days, the Perseid shower will be on its peak. Full moon will decrease the visibility so sky watchers will face a major obstacle while observing Perseid performance. Technically, shower peaks at around 1 a.m. CDT on 13th August but prime-viewing time starts from 12th August when the constellation Perseus rises into fine view in the northeast around midnight.

The sky watchers can observe the event peaks about 2 a.m. local time (for northern stargazers) and 6 a.m. local time (for Southern Hemisphere). While the Earth passes through the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet, you can see up to 100 shooting stars but this year all the brightest meteors will be washed out by the moon so only meteor will be visible at 20-30 per hour on 12 and 13 August. The Perseid meteor shower is the display of shooting stars in Northern Hemisphere which occurs every year in early August. The Perseid meteor shower is an attractive sky event.