Many saw a fantastic display of Perseid meteors on the morning of August 12! According to the International Meteor Organization, the zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of meteors visible in a dark sky was over 90. That's the number of meteors you would have seen under a very dark sky with the radiant of the shower at the sky's zenith (highest point). Will you see more meteors on the morning of August 13? You might, although we're now past the peak. Still, it's worth a try. Read more about the August 13 prospects here. As always, after midnight is the best time for meteor-watching. The moon is waning now. The moon will be in the sky before dawn, but it shouldn't interfere much. On the morning (not the evening) of August 13, the moon will be a waning crescent, sweeping past the brightest planets Venus and Jupiter in the eastern predawn sky. You can't ask for more!
EarthSky Facebook friend Dave Walker caught this 2012 Perseid meteor on the morning of August 12, 2012.
A bright Perseid meteor seen by astrophotographer Stefano De Rosa this morning (August 12) on the island of Isola D'Elba in Italy. See more of Stefano's 202 Perseid meteor photos here.
EarthSky Facebook friend Brian Emfinger captured this amazing view early this morning (August 12). Not sure if this photo is stacked – I suspect so. Perseid meteors tend to cross the sky one by one. But this photo captures what you can expect to see during a burst of meteors – when several at once cross the sky – or during a particularly rich meteor display. Fantastic image Brian! Thank you.
Here's what NASA has to say:
August 10/11, 11/12, and 12/13, 2012 Perseids
Meteors are typically best after midnight, but in 2012, with the moon rising into the predawn sky, you might want to watch for Perseid meteors in late evening as well. You can get moonrise times via this custom sunset calendar. As seen from around the world, the waning crescent moon will rise later on August 12 than on August 11, and, on the morning of August 13, although you're slightly past the peak, the moon will rise later still. On any of those mornings, moonlight shouldn't be so overwhelming as to ruin the show. Plus the moon on those mornings will be near the bright planets Venus and Jupiter in the eastern predawn sky. It'll be a beautiful early morning scene. The Perseids are typically fast and bright meteors. They radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus the Hero. You don't need to know Perseus to watch the shower because the meteors appear in all parts of the sky. The Perseids are considered by many people to be the year's best shower, and often peak at 50 or more meteors per hour in a dark sky. The Perseids tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into midnight, and typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours before dawn. These meteors are often bright and frequently leave persistent trains. Starting in late evening on the nights of August 10/11, 11/12 and 12/13. The Perseid meteors will streak across these short summer nights from late night until dawn, with only a little interference from the waning crescent moon. Plus the moon will be near the bright planets Venus and Jupiter in the eastern predawn sky.
An Eta Aquarid meteor streaks over northern Georgia on April 29, 2012. Image credit: NASA/MSFC/B. Cooke
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