Shooting stars will be most visible over the next two days as they streak across Southern California skies darkened by the annual meteor shower. Prime viewing will begin Friday morning and continue through Saturday, stargazers said.
Ed Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory, said the annual Cypressid meteor shower reaches its peak visibility, with about 25 meteors per hour, especially in the northern hemisphere.
“All you need is a little patience because it’s going to be once every few minutes,” Krupp said. “They’re not systematic and don’t move on a clock, but when they appear overhead people enjoy it.”
The best time to see meteor showers varies by region.
Krupp said peak visibility in Southern California will be Friday night into Saturday morning, from about midnight to 5:30 a.m., possibly by 6 a.m.
Around 10 p.m., you can spot the meteor shower by looking for the constellation Boes, and Krupp said it can be seen by looking to the northeast.
By 3 a.m., the showers will be almost overhead, Krupp said.
The director said binoculars and telescopes are unnecessary and potentially a nuisance as they narrow the stargazer’s field of view.
“The best observations are made with just the eyes, and CinemaScope allows for great viewing,” Krupp said.
For best viewing, the recommendation is to find a dark spot away from cities and light pollution. NASA recommends that anyone heading outdoors bring winter gear along with a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair.
Krupp suggested that desert observation would be ideal.
The American Meteor Society predicts the heaviest rain will be at 9:45 a.m. Friday. That means Pacific Island communities will likely enjoy the best show yet.
Krupp said the origin of the meteor shower is a bit vague.
Asteroid 2003 EH1, discovered in 2003 by research scientist Peter Jenniskens, is thought to be behind the shooting star.
Krupp said it is unclear whether 2003’s EH1 is really a meteor or a “dead comet.” That means the object has lost the volatile ice and gas that forms its glowing tail.
Krupp said the observatory does not hold special viewing events because it is best observed away from cities and lights.
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