The annual Perseids meteor shower display overnight Saturday, which is expected to produce regular flashes and the odd fireball (Dennis Di Cocco/Sky & Telescope)

By Ian Holmes

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‘It could be a really good show’: popular meteor shower expected to light-up sky

Aug 11, 2023 | 3:35 PM

NANAIMO — Conditions are ideal for what could be highly visible dazzling streaks zipping across the night sky.

The annual Perseids meteor display peaks this weekend overnight Saturday going into Sunday before fading, according to Vancouver Island University astronomy professor Dr. Gregory Arkos.

“It could be a really good show this year. I encourage people, if you’re keen, to get out there and be patient and enjoy the show,” Arkos told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The stars appear to be aligned for a favourable Perseids display.

Caused by small bits of debris from the comet Swift Tuttle hitting the earth’s atmosphere, an anticipated cloudless sky and a nearly new moon are key factors in boosting the odds of seeing “fleeting moments of bright light”, Arkos said.

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While less common, longer-lasting larger fireballs could also appear.

Arkos said the Perseids are essentially giant space snowballs of ice, frozen gas and rocky material packed together.

“When it comes closer to the sun in its orbit, it starts to thaw and when it thaws it starts to lose this material, it starts to stream off of it and sometimes we get a nice comet tail — we see all these beautiful pictures of that sometime.”

Perseids are consistent producers of meteor streaks compared to other, often more sporadic meteor showers throughout the year, Arkos pointed out.

A flash or two a minute can be expected from Perseids, but Arkos cautioned there will be times when none are visible for several minutes, while conversely you could luck out with several streaks in succession.

“If you watch for an hour in a dark sky you might see 50, 60, 75, 100 meteors and that’s pretty consistent from year-to-year.”

Prime Perseids viewing times are the pre-dawn sky in the 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. time range, Arkos said, while he noted they can also be seen starting at around 10 p.m.

“The later you’re out the better chance you’ll see more of these Perseids.”

Avoiding light pollution from urban centres is crucial, Arkos said.

“A dark backyard, away from street lights, a park, down by the beach, that kind of thing where you’re going to be away from a lot of the ambient lighting.”

He advises to take in as much of the night sky as you can with a focus to the lower northeast, which should see flashing meteors rise higher into the sky in that direction as pre-dawn approaches.

Binoculars and telescopes are not recommended, as the meteors move too quickly in any given direction.

Saturn and Jupiter will likely be visible during the Perseids display, Arkos said.

—with files from Alex Rawnsley

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes