This weekend, the "biggest show" will be seen in the northeast sky after midnight during the annual Perseids meteor shower.
Beginning Saturday night/Sunday morning, Aug. 10/11 and its peak lasting until Tuesday, all you have to do to enjoy this yearly event – it occurs when earth passes through the debris trail of the Comet Swift-Tuttle – is find an open space away from too many light sources, look up (after 15 minutes while your eyes adjust to the dark) and enjoy the show.
The best location around these parts? On a beach away from city lights – the Cape would be great – or an open field.
(Just remember to bring along DEET mosquito spray and some warm clothes.)
And with a sliver of a moon this year to eliminate stellar light, experts say that you can expect to see up to 70 meteors per hour or more than one a minute.
And just how big are the meteors? The size of a single kernel of Grape-Nuts cereal.
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