It's August 2018, and that means it's time for the annual Perseid Meteor Shower!
Quick Facts
- The Perseids get their name because they appear to originate from the direction of the Perseus Constellation.
- They're best viewed from the Northern Hemishere
- Showtime starts at about 9/10 PM Pacific on Friday, August 10, and will peak on August 12.
The Perseids have extraordinarily high rates of visible meteors
Contrary to popular belief, meteors aren't on a collision course with Earth, and the Perseids are no exception. In reality, it's the Earth and its orbit which are the ones on a collision course: with the meteors!
Our favorite professional star-gazer Dr. Ed Krupp (who moonlights as the director of the Griffith Park Observatory) called into the show to talk about the annual Perseid Meteor Shower. But we got distracted quickly ended up delving into the nature of the origins of the universe.
Just another Friday night on Conway! Listen below:
Read more over at Live Science.