Perseids meteor shower peaks this weekend; Best time to view in the Maritimes

This photo was taken by Tim Doucette, just outside of Moncton N.B. on August 12 2010, during the annual Perseid Meteor Shower. The bright light on the left is Jupiter.

The Perseids is a meteor shower created from the debris of the comet Swift-Tuttle.

One of the more active meteor showers, it has been known to produce 60 or more meteor streaks an hour at peak. The peak this year is expected to be on Saturday and Sunday.

Per the meteor showers name, the radiant point is located near the constellation Perseus. The constellation currently rises high in the northeast near and after midnight. It is often easier to spot meteors when the radiant point is higher in the night sky, which makes the overnight hours the best time to view.

If looking for the constellation after midnight, one useful tip for how to find it is to first find the planet Jupiter. Jupiter will be visible as a bright point rising above the eastern horizon overnight. If you spot the planet and then move your gaze towards the northeast, you should land at the approximate location of the constellation Perseus. There are a variety of apps and websites that can help in guiding you to the position of the constellation though.

The approximate location of the radiant point of the Perseids, to the northeast of the rising planet Jupiter. (www.timeanddate.com)

The approximate location of the radiant point can be found on timeanddate.com.

Working in favour of meteor viewing this weekend is a Waning Crescent Moon that will be at about 13 per cent illumination. Less Moonlight makes spotting other night sky objects easier. You will also want to go to a location free of light pollution and with a nice open view of the sky.

Give your eyes time to adjust to night viewing meaning you won’t want to be constantly looking at a bright screen such as that on a phone.

Now, will the weather cooperate? At certain areas and during certain times, but no perfectly clear skies look likely.

There is clearing forecast Friday night for southern New Brunswick and mainland Nova Scotia. Cloudier conditions are expected to persist for northern New Brunswick, Prince Edwards Island, and Cape Breton.

Cloud cover forecast for midnight Friday into Saturday. (CTV/Kalin Mitchell) For late Saturday night into early Sunday morning the least amount of cloud for the region is expected in southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. Northern New Brunswick again looks to be under more widespread cloud.

Sunday night into Monday morning will be worse for viewing as mostly cloudy conditions are forecast for all three Maritime provinces.