If you live in any of Kansas’ rural areas, you’re probably no more than a few minutes drive from a front row seat to the Sunday/Monday Perseid Meteor Shower. And if you’re really lucky, you might be able to see it from your backyard.
Kansas rural Skies rate high on what’s known as the Bortle Scale, a rating of the degree of darkness in night time nighttime skies dependent on their proximity to city lights and other light pollution. Western Kansas skies get better scores, which make the region a hotspot for stargazers and astronomy buffs.
That degree of background darkness will be a premium Sunday through Tuesday as the Earth makes its annual pass through the tail of the Swift-Tuttle Comet, a giant ball of ice and dust orbiting the sun which was discovered in 1862. Particles in the tail get grabbed by Earth’s gravity and burn up about 60 miles from the surface of the planet as they enter our atmosphere – and light show begins.
NASA says an increase in meteor activity should begin Sunday, but the best viewing will be after the moon sets (around midnight) and until dawn on Monday. You’ll still be able to see a good show a few days before and after this window, and remaining Persieds can be seen through about September 1.
As of Saturday there’s about a 40 percent chance of rain and clouds across the state, though some Persieds are so bright you can see them through even moderate cloud cover.
So just find yourself an open stretch of gravel road away from the lights of town and give your eyes 30-45 minutes to adjust to the dark. Lay on your back and look straight up. Avoid campfires or flashlights – even vehicle dome lights or dash lights – because they’ll foul up your night vision and limit what you can see in the sky. If you have to see to get around, use a colored flashlight filter.
Though the Perseid comes annually, there’s anticipation for a massive Perseid Meteor Storm in 2028.
Dane Hicks is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He is the author of novels "The Skinning Tree" and "A Whisper For Help." As publisher of the Anderson County Review in Garnett, KS., he is a recipient of the Kansas Press Association's Boyd Community Service Award as well as more than 60 awards for excellence in news, editorial and photography.
