The annual Perseid Meteor Shower dotted the sky last night. Did you see it? Probably not, especially if you live in San Francisco, a city held captive by Karl this summer. But if you would like to see it, we recommend a few things: 1) Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, 3) catch it just after midnight, and 3) leave San Francisco.
Lawrence Berkeley Lab is good, so is Vollmer Peak in Tilden Park. And Highway 35 could be good, "if you can find a spot with a clear view over the valley halfway between San Jose and San Francisco."
West Point Inn, located on the south face of Mount Tamalpais above fog level, could also be a good bet.
Also, as SF Fun Cheap notes, there will be a viewing party Coyote Lake Viewing Party tonight in Gilroy.
But what, exactly, makes the Perseid Meteor Shower show special? Well, this shower is plump with shooting stars, more so than less spectacular showers.
“It’s one of the best showers of the year and can produce approximately 60-80 meteors per hour," Bing Quock, Assistant Director at the Morrison Planetarium, explains to Zerve. "Since it occurs in August, fewer people have any problem with the idea of staying out late on a warm summer night. The Perseids are also known to produce more fireballs (i.e. very bright meteors) than any other shower."
However, NASA notes that meteor rates can get as high as 100 per hour, adding that "for optimal viewing, find an open sky because Perseid meteors come across the sky from all directions. Lie on the ground and look straight up into the dark sky. Again, it is important to be far away from artificial lights. Your eyes can take up to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness, so allow plenty of time for your eyes to dark-adapt."
If you cannot make it out tonight, the best way to watch the show will be online.
