Starry starry nights |

In summer I love to look at the night sky, and the Perseid meteor shower in August is, for me, the highlight of the season. Don't take my word for it; here's what NASA has to say: "The Perseids, which peak during mid-August, are considered to be the best meteor shower of the year. With very fast and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long "wakes" of light and color behind them as they streak through the Earth's atmosphere."

Snowy Range Perseids Meteor Shower
Photo courtesy of David Kingman via Creative Commons Licence

Meteor showers occur several times every year when the earth passes through bands of comet debris. This year should be especially good for viewing the Perseids because the crescent moon won't brighten the sky.

Getting away from urban light pollution enhances the stargazing experience. Dark sky sites are light-restricted areas where it's easier for visitors to appreciate the wonders of the night sky.

I love meteor showers because I can see them without a telescope. You don't need any equipment to look at sky at night, but using binoculars or a telescope will let you observe objects in more detail.

This year, for the first time, I'm going to see the night sky from the southern hemisphere. I figured I might need a little help getting oriented to a new skyscape and, of course, there's an app for that. Actually, there are many apps. This article was helpful when I was choosing a night sky app for my iPad; for Android users this advice might be useful.

If you're interested in learning more about astronomy, you can meet fellow stargazers, ask questions, and learn about equipment at local events and meetups. And of course resources are available at your local library: