Perseid 2014 Going on Right Now, Plus Super Moon

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Nutso
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Perseid 2014 Going on Right Now, Plus Super Moon

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Perseid meteor shower 2014: Step aside, Supermoon, we want to see some shooting stars
The superness of the August 2014 Supermoon is debatable, but the night skies have another show underway that, supermoons aside, is usually an annual summer spectacular.

The Perseid meteor shower is peaking right about now, as it does annually. The shooting stars are a result of the Earth traveling through the debris in the orbit of Comet Swift-Tuttle.

The peak Perseids dates for this year are Aug. 9-13, according to timeanddate.com. And the Perseids are usually one of the brightest and most prolific meteor showers of the year.

The Supermoon, however, will have something to say about that this year ...

Where to see the Perseids

The ideal place to be is in the Northern Hemisphere. Massachusetts residents can check that box. The Perseids are about three times more abundant in the Northern Hemisphere than the Southern, with rates of about 50 per hour during peak.

The best place to look is to the northeast, but you can usually see Perseid shooting stars from all parts of the sky. According to EarthSky.org:

They radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus the Hero, but, as with all meteor shower radiant points, you don’t need to know Perseus to watch the shower; instead, the meteors appear in all parts of the sky.

The key is to be in a dark location. Light pollution from street lights makes it very difficult to see meteors except for the very brightest, which are rare. If you live in suburban, rural and some urban areas, your backyard should be OK. If city lights are illuminating the sky around you, you might have to get outside whatever city you're in.

Talk about light pollution – what about that Supermoon?

While the Perseids are bright, that can't out-bright a Supermoon. In fact, Space.com reports it might be impossible to see the Perseids during their peak this year because of the brightness of the moon, which is near perigee, its closest approach to Earth during the month, and still at 98.4% illumination.
Bad Super Moon, bad!
"Bible, Wrath of Khan, what's the difference?"
Stan - South Park
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