You Can Catch A Dazzling Meteor Shower Over Tennessee This August
It's no secret that Tennessee has some awesome places you can hit up to go stargazing. There are plenty of mountain towns and non-touristy areas where you can set out a blanket and stare up at the sky. Next month, you can get ready to see the Perseid meteor shower shoot across southern skies for a dazzling show.
This meteor shower is an annual thing, so you can catch it every summer. Time and Date reports that these shooting stars will be active from July 17 through August 24, though you'll get the best sights of the show during its peak.
The peak of the shower is going to be around August 11 and August 12 for those living in the south. This is when the meteors will be most active, giving you the best chance to see them.
The best time to view this annual event, according to EarthSky, is usually in the early hours of the morning. This year, you might even be able to catch a glimpse before midnight hits.
Time and Date's interactive sky map shows excellent visibility, given clear weather conditions as early as 9 p.m. on August 11, stretching into the early hours of August 12.
Visibility is then expected to dip down into the very-good quality range from half-past midnight through to 5 a.m. the morning of the 12th. You could see anywhere from 40 to 50 meteors per hour during the peak.
There's also a good chance you'll be able to see remnants from these meteors for up to 10 days following the peak.
During this time, the moon is supposed to be in the last quarter phase of its cycle, which means it will shine bright.
According to Earthsky, this could take a toll on your visibility, but since the meteors tend to shine through, you're still likely to be able to see them.
The best way to view the Perseids is to be away from bright city lights. Your eyes might take around 15 to 20 minutes to adjust to the dark night sky, but once they do you're good to go.
This shower doesn't require a telescope to see them shoot across the sky either, which makes it even better.
You could even make a cute star gazing date out of this event. Grab a blanket, some snacks, and kick back to relax before the show starts.
*Photos used for illustrative purposes