Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - The Perseid meteor shower has been happening since July 14 and will come to an end on September 1. The good news is the peak of the meteor shower occurs this weekend!

If you would like to see the meteor shower, be sure to get out Saturday night and look up! You will want to find a dark area away from city lights and allow your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness.

Reports suggest anywhere from 50 to 75 meteors will be visible per hour and up to 100 under perfect conditions. The moon phase is waning crescent, which means it will only be 10% illuminated, making the sky even darker and more prime for viewing.

Unfortunately, cloud cover could become an issue at times. While it won’t be completely overcast, clouds are expected to increase Saturday night into Sunday morning. The best time for viewing will be after sunset to a little after midnight, before clouds take over. While clouds may be an issue, don’t let them keep you from viewing, as there will likely be enough breaks to view some of the meteors!

The Perseid meteor shower is due to debris left behind from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. This comet has an orbit of 133 years and was last within the inner solar system in 1992. Even though it has been so long since the comet has been close, there is still debris left behind that produces these meteors.

If you can get out and take some photos of any of the meteors, please submit them to the following link: https://www.kotatv.com/community/user-content/. We would love to show them on air! Good luck and happy meteor hunting!