The Pacific Observatory and the Whistler Astronomy Club are hosting a Shooting Star Party on Wednesday, Aug. 11 at Rainbow Park from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Between 60 and 100 meteors should be visible every hour during the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, and there is a possibility for a meteor storm later in the evening. Forecasters are expecting an unusually good show this year, with up to hundreds of shooting stars in an hour.
According to NASA here are two reasons why astronomers are expecting a good show this year. The first is the fact that the moon will have already set for North America by the time it gets dark. The second is that there might be an extra surge of meteors on Aug. 11, which is caused by the filament of dust drifting across the earth’s orbit left by Comet Swift-Tuttle.
Dress warm, bring a lawn chair or something to lie on, and something warm to drink.
John Nemy and Carol Legate of the Pacific Observatory will bring their 25-inch telescope, one of the largest public telescopes in North America, for public viewing.
