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Meteor shower in Whistler skies

The Astronomy Club is hosting a Perseid meteor shower watching event at Rainbow Park on Thursday, Aug. 11, beginning at dark. An annual event, the meteor shower is caused by the Earth’s orbit passing through the tail of the comet Swift-Tuttle.

The Astronomy Club is hosting a Perseid meteor shower watching event at Rainbow Park on Thursday, Aug. 11, beginning at dark.

An annual event, the meteor shower is caused by the Earth’s orbit passing through the tail of the comet Swift-Tuttle. The dust particles from the tail cause the Perseids, as they hit the atmosphere at about 30 km per second and burn up. The Perseids are seen as bright streaks across the sky.

At the peak of the shower, meteors can be seen at a rate of more than one per minute. With a first-quarter moon setting in the mid to late evening the sky should be dark and perfect for meteor watching.

The best way to view the Perseid Meteor Shower is to lie down so that you can see the broadest expanse of sky possible. If attending the event, bring a waterproof ground cover or a reclining chair as well as warm clothes or a sleeping bag, as the temperature at night is cool.

If you miss the shower on Thursday, it will also be visible Friday night.