(Reporter)
It’s summer in the US – it’s time to find a yard, a plaza, a dark, quiet place and look up at the stars. The star of the show is almost always the Perseid Meteor Shower, which starts quickly (usually July 14) and lasts about a month, peaking in mid to early August. Look for streaks of light that appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, although it is not necessary to locate that constellation to enjoy the view. The meteorites are bits of comet 109p/Swift-Tuttle, as well as a few parts of the asteroid, that burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, sometimes like stunning fireballs, CBS News reports.
This isn’t the only show Heaven has to offer this summer. Look for a bright star – actually Venus – next to the crescent right after sunset on Monday (July 12), every day Forbes. The next full moon, on July 23 – the “Buck” moon – gets a little star power from Saturn and Jupiter. The next new moon, and the darkest sky, is on August 8. Look for Perseids that peak in the dark sky after a few nights. And if you can get to a really dark place with minimal light pollution, look for the Milky Way in the sky to the south. (Read more Perseid stories.)
