Perseids Peak Tonight

Tonight's the night to get out and look up. I'll be taking in the view from the lake.

The radiant point for the Perseid meteor shower is in the

constellation Perseus. But you don’t have to find

a shower’s radiant point to see meteors. Instead,

the meteors will be flying in all parts of the sky.

(Photo and illustration from Earthsky.)

No Camelopardalids for This Observer

It was overcast during most of the day, but it cleared off by the predicted peak viewing time for the new meteor shower....which for me is still hypothetical. In two observation times totaling about 40 minutes I didn't see a single meteor.

It was a beautiful night, though, and the frogs in the flooded pasture behind the house were in good voice.

Heads Up: Brand New Meteor Shower!

For the first time ever the earth will pass through the debris field of the newly discovered Comet LINEAR.

The result: a brand new meteor shower for sky watchers in the Northern Hemisphere. Already being called the "May Camelopardalids," the meteor shower will reach its peak Friday night and into Saturday morning. Best times will be between 2 and 4 AM EDT.

The latest viewing prediction based on local weather:

And the location of the Camelopardalis constellation from which the meteors will appear to radiate.

EarthSky says that it could be the best meteor shower of the year, but it also stresses that, since this has never occurred before, it's all hypothetical until we see the actual meteors. (Go to the link for much more information.)

So head out, look up, and maybe see the birth of a new heavenly wonder.