The Perseid Meteors Returns. Will We Actually See It In The HV?

One of the most popular meteor showers of the year returns in August. The Persied Meteor showers, which began its slow rise back in mid July, will peak the mornings of August, 11, 12, and 13.

And while it's too far off to predict an accurate weather forecast here across New York state, one big factor could hamper any hopes of getting a full show. The Moon. EarthSky.org says the Moon will probably drown out a lot of the meteors those mornings. So, the best time to actually see them will the mornings of Friday, August 9, to Sunday, August 11.

The Perseids are the dust remnants of Comet Swift-Tuttle, which is the largest object to pass Earth. The Earth passes through the comet's path July 17 to August 24, which leads to the countless dusty particles and pieces to enter the planet's atmosphere. On average, during the peak times, you can see anywhere from 12 to 60 meteors per hour. Some years, such as 2016, saw about 150 to 200 meteors an hour.

EarthSky says that midnight to dawn will be the best hours for viewing. EarthSky also says that all the meteors will come from a point in front of the constellation Perseus.

Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of these big astronomical events here in the Hudson Valley, whether they be meteor showers or lunar eclipses, face cloudy skies and/or storms when they happen. Weather.gov says that Friday, August 9 could see a chance for thunderstorms here in the Valley, though hopefully the forecast is still too far off to be completely accurate.

Listen to the Wakin' Up With CJ and Jess Show weekday mornings from 6AM to 10AM on The Wolf. Stream us live through the website, Alexa-enabled device, Google Home or The Wolf mobile app.