ILLUSTRATION BY STUART FUNK
It’s that special time of year when Earth passes through the lost dust of Comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseid meteor shower is present for most of August with its sharp peak in activity Aug. 11–12. During this time, the moon is out of the way. For the best viewing of the Perseid meteor shower, look before twilight Aug. 12. Make sure you are away from light population. You can expect to see less than one meteor per minute during peak activity.
Each month, Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory astronomer Eric McLaughlin spotlights a notable celestial event. For information about the observatory, visit ranchomiragelibrary.org.
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