Space lovers and science nerds, tonight is your night! Maybe! Tonight marks the peak of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, the most reliable meteor shower of the year, provided the full moon doesn't totally screw things up.
The meteor shower will be at its best Saturday morning between midnight and dawn, and as an added bonus, the International Space Station will be flying across the sky. Although the full moon will make this year's display slightly less dazzling than those of years past, EarthSky has some tips on how to maximize your viewing pleasure. Folks in upstate New York and New Jersey have already reported "spectacular" meteor sightings earlier this week, leading up to the big show this weekend.
Here's a nifty little video from NASA to help explain exactly what's going on up there in space:
Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
It's pretty easy to see the Perseids from rooftop in Brooklyn. Obviously you don't see as many as you can in the countryside but you can still see a few.
Dan
Plus there is a near full moon, not going to help either. About all we can see is the ISS or an Iridium flare.
Theose
Yeah NYC has no sky. Just really dark blue with the occasional star and planet.
KevinJWalsh
The planet Venus is barely visible in NYC, much less a meteor shower. Get to the country if you want to see it...
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