Perseid Meteor Shower Will Peak Starting Thursday In Wisconsin

WISCONSIN — The skies of Wisconsin will be filled Thursday night with the falling stars of the Perseid meteor shower.

Perseid is expected to peak at about 50 meteors per hour between overnight Thursday and dawn Saturday, according to Almanac. Viewing conditions at that time are predicted to be fair for most of Wisconsin, AccuWeather reported.

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“The Perseids’ fame comes from the fact that it reliably has the brightest and most numerous meteors,” according to Almanac. “Even if the viewing conditions aren’t the best, you’re likely to spot some meteors during the Perseid meteor shower.”

The shower, discovered in 1862, is produced by the comet 109/P Swift-Tuttle.

Perseid will have some competition Thursday, when a full moon will light up the sky, according to Almanac, but stargazers can avoid the moonshine by looking for meteors in the pre-dawn hours, when the moon is low and the meteor count is high.

“If cloudy conditions prevail on the night of Aug. 11-12, people can still see some of the celestial light show on the nights immediately following the peak,” AccuWeather reported.

If you do want to get a glimpse of the Perseid on Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is hosting a viewing event from 9-11:30 p.m. at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee. Attendees are invited to bring a blanket and meet on the big lawn across from Pebble Beach.

For more information, visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/61151.