When and where to watch meteor showers?

People living in the Northern Hemisphere are in the best position to observe these beautiful meteor shows. For example, north America is right below the region of the sky where the January Quadrantids shower appears. Meteor showers can be seen at different times of the year depending on when Earth is going to pass through the comet’s or asteroid’s path. Some meteor showers happen annually; other appear once in a few years. Some of the best shows – meteor storms – happen just once or twice in a lifetime.

The best time to watch them is the pre-dawn hours, when the part of Earth you are standing on is facing the direction of Earth’s orbit. In the late evening hours the meteors are less frequent.

What can go wrong?

A bright moon can dim the light of the meteor show, fading out all but the brightest meteors. Local light pollution can affect our ability to view a shower. To view a meteor shower in all its glory, go to a rural location. Weather can also play spoilsport for a good view of meteor showers. A clear sky is what we need, which is why meteor showers during the summer are more visible than those that happen in the winter months.

 

Picture Credit : Google