Meteor Shower August 2012: Perseid Continues Watch Live Tonight
The Perseid meteor shower of August 2012 has enchanted the skies since Saturday, August 12. Meteor showers were supposed to peak 2 days ago, however, they were also visible on Monday morning. Therefore, showers can still be caught tonight and Tuesday morning. The best time to catch the showers is between midnight and dawn; during the darkest period before sunrise.
2:30AM EST is when the most intense portion of the shower can be expected for better viewing.
This year's Perseids are particularly spectacular because the show includes sightings of Jupiter, Venus, and the crescent moon coming together as the meteor shower reaches its peak. For those star-gazing experts, the red giant star, Alderbaran is also said to be visible during this time.
According to the International Meteor Organization, the zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of meteors visible in a dark sky climbed as high as 150 in some places on the morning of August 13. That by far exceeded expectations and ensured those diligent enough to have stayed up caught a spectacular show.
The Perseid Meteor Shower for August 2012 has been an amazing visual display compared to the same event last year.
The Perseid meteor shower is from the debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle impacting the earth's atmosphere during its rotation.
