Perseid Meteor Shower: Why Astronomers Recommend Putting Your Phone Away For This Weekend’s Show
Topline
The Perseids—one of the most anticipated meteor showers of the year—will peak this weekend, and experts recommend staying off your phone to minimize light distractions and get the best viewing experience.
A man watches the Perseid meteor shower on the Pamir Plateau on August 13, 2021 in Xinjiang Uygur … [+]
Key Facts
The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak this weekend, and the best way to view the shower is in a place with the least amount of light pollution, according to a blog post from NASA.
This includes street lights, porch lights—and cellphones: It can take the eyes up to 30 minutes to “develop night vision,” so it’s recommended people put their phones away for around 20 to 30 minutes before looking at meteors, Diana Hannikainen, an astronomer and observing editor at Sky & Telescope magazine, told Forbes.
Another reason to avoid phones is because “the bright white/blue light from your phone screen causes your pupils to constrict, which is exactly the opposite of what you want in order to see faint objects in the night sky,” associate professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University, told Forbes.
The meteors may be very faint to the naked eye, so “having your screen on illuminates the surroundings and makes it difficult for your [eyes] (and those of others) to adapt to the darkness,” Justine Lunine, a professor physical sciences and chair of Department of Astronomy at Cornell University, told Forbes.
If it’s impossible to avoid lights near your home, traveling to a nearby park or the countryside where there’s less light pollution and distractions like trees and buildings can increase your chances of spotting meteors, the Royal Museums Greenwich recommends.
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Can I Take Pictures Of The Meteor Shower With My Phone?
It’s “almost impossible” to take a picture of a meteor only using a cellphone camera unless you’re a “very experienced photographer,” Angela Speck, professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, told Forbes. But to help, she recommends covering the screen—so the light won’t affect your eyes—using the long exposure photography method and setting the phone on a tripod. It’s hard to predict where in the sky meteors will leave a streak, but Lunine said apps like NightCap Camera, which has a Meteor Mode, may be useful.
When Will The Perseid Meteor Shower Peak?
The Perseid meteor shower is the “most popular meteor shower” of the year, and is expected to peak between Sunday night and Monday morning, with over 50 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society. It will peak with over 50 meteors per hour, and the best time to view the shower is after midnight. Although the peak night is the best time to see the meteors, the shower runs from July 14 to September 1, so there may be a chance to see meteors before and after the peak.
Where Can I Watch The Perseid Meteor Shower?
The Virtual Telescope Project will hold livestreams starting at 9:00 p.m. EDT on August 11, and 9:00 p.m. EDT on August 12.
