Perseid meteor shower to be visible in Valley skies
Aug 10, 2012, 2:14 PM | Updated: 2:14 pm
PHOENIX – Weather permitting, stargazers could have a treat this weekend.
The Perseid meteor shower should send shooting stars through the sky starting around midnight on Saturday.
“The meteor shower is known as the Perseids, eminating from a constelation called Persius the hero,” said Dr. Sky. “Simply look high into the northeastern part of the sky after midnight until sunrise Sunday morning, and what we should get to see, according to the space scientists, are maybe upwards of 80 to 100 of these shooting stars per hour.”
Dr. Sky said the shower is created by debris from the extinct Swift-Tuttle Comet.
“This happens to be, in my opinion, one of the greatest events that people can watch in the nighttime sky, and with the naked eye,” he said.
To see it best, he suggests getting away from the city lights. If you’re in the East Valley, the Lost Dutchman State Park near Apache Junction might be the best viewing spot. From the South Valley, head south into desert areas between Phoenix and Tucson. If you’re in the West Valley, head west away from the city and away from Interstate 10. In the North Valley, there are plenty of dark areas north of the city lights where you can get a good look.
While the best viewing time is between 3:00 a.m. and sunrise on Sunday morning, Dr. Sky said we should see should see shooting stars from the shower through the end of the month.
