Where to watch it near Illinois, Wisconsin – NBC Chicago

Starting Monday, perhaps the most beautiful meteor shower of the year will light up the skies—and this spot near Illinois may be one of the best—and least known—places to watch it.

The annual meteor shower has been active since July and reaches its peak before sunrise on Monday, August 12. It is one of the brightest and most easily observed showers of the year, producing “bright blue meteors – lots of them,” said astronomer Don Pollacco of the University of Warwick.

According to the Adler Planetarium, over 50 to 90 meteors per hour are expected at peak times – but there is a catch: In light-polluted areas, far fewer meteors will be visible, according to the Adler Planetarium.

“A rule of thumb for meteor viewing is to be under a dark sky, free from glare from artificial or natural light (like the moon),” Adle said. “This year, the Perseids will peak as the moon approaches its first quarter phase. However, the first quarter moon rises around noon local time and sets around midnight, so its glare will not interfere with the Perseids during their peak between midnight and dawn.”

While the moon won’t interfere with the peak of the Perseids, Chicago’s lights might. However, in a certain area of ​​Wisconsin, that might not be the case.

According to Forbes editors, Wisconsin’s Kickapoo Valley Dark Sky Park – a park consisting of Kickapoo Valley Reserve, Wildcat Mountain State Park and the Mississippi Valley Conservancy – is one of 11 “secret spots” in the country from which to view meteor showers.

The editors describe the area, located about 50 miles west of Wisconsin Dells, as a “remote location” with pristine dark skies that are ideal for stargazing.

The area — which, if designated, would be Wisconsin’s second “Dark Sky Park” after Newport State Park — features a set of recommended sky-gazing maps at three different locations.

“The public lands along the Kickapoo River in Vernon County have been known for years for their fantastic night sky viewing,” said the Kickapoo Valley Dark Sky Initiative.

If you can’t travel, you may still have a chance to see some “shooting stars.”

“To spot meteors, first go outside and give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness,” Adler said. “Look for short streaks of light throughout the sky.”

The stripes are caused by superheated, “glowing air” when the tiny comet particles burn up due to friction with the atmosphere, the Eagle continues.

“You don’t need any special observation equipment to see meteors. Binoculars or a telescope won’t help you see them any better. Meteors cover a wide area of ​​the sky, so you shouldn’t limit your view to a tiny window.”

Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes of NBC 5’s Storm Team noted that the storm will be most visible between midnight and dawn on Monday and will be visible for weeks afterward.

Another major meteor shower, the Geminids, occurs in December, but this is often more difficult to observe because the weather is much colder.

“You don’t have to freeze your butt off to see a meteor shower,” Jeanes said of the Perseids.

What is a meteor shower?

There are several meteor showers each year and you don’t need any special equipment to see them.

Most meteor showers are formed from the debris of comets. The source of the Perseids is the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

When rocks from space enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they become very hot due to air resistance. This causes the air around them to glow, briefly leaving behind a fiery tail – the end of a “shooting star.”

The glowing pockets of air around fast-moving space rocks, ranging in size from a speck of dust to a boulder, may be visible in the night sky.

The Perseids are formed from “larger particles than many other showers,” said NASA’s Bill Cooke, giving them the appearance of “bright fireballs” – and they are easier to spot than many others.

How to watch a meteor shower

Meteor showers are usually best visible between midnight and dawn.

Shooting stars are easier to see in dark skies and away from city lights. Meteor showers also appear brightest on cloudless nights when the moon is at its waning lowest.

The best view of the Perseids is from the Northern Hemisphere, and this year’s peak coincides with a Moon that is about 44% full.

When is the next meteor shower?

The Meteor Society maintains a list of upcoming major meteor showers, including the best viewing days and moonlight conditions.

The next major meteor shower will be the Orionids, which peak in mid-October.