Throughout the years, there’s been plenty of comets and aurora borealis events dazzling the country’s skies, and a meteor shower is always amazing to see.

Reportedly named “the best meteor shower of the year” by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), this upcoming display will be one you won’t want to miss. We break down the where, what, and when of this meteor shower– and how you can get the optimal view of it.

THE WHEN AND WHAT

Coming between July 17 and August 23 will be the Perseids Meteor Shower. According to NASA, “Perseids frequently leave long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere.”

Moreover, they’re “one of the most plentiful showers with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour.” And since they occur in summer, it’s the perfect time to lay back in the warm night and watch them fly across the sky.

NASA also notes that they’re best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during “pre-dawn hours.”

THE WHERE

This year’s Perseids Meteor Shower is set to peak on August 12. But anyone who has tried to look for constellations or any other space-related view will know all too well that they’re quite difficult to spot.

You can blame light pollution for that one. The brightness of city lights essentially causes a decrease in contrast between the night sky and stars, so that’s why you have trouble spotting any cool celestial happenings.

So, where should you go if you want to get the best viewing experience for the Perseids Meteor Shower? Well, anywhere outside of the city at a late time. 

You need to be far enough from any major light pollution in order to get the best look at the meteors. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) has some of their Vancouver Centre members’ places they head to when they want to look at the sky listed on their website.

• Aldergrove Regional Park
• Boundary Bay
• Campbell Valley Regional Park
• Cypress Mountain
• David Lam Park
• Hope Slide
• Spanish Banks
• Trottier Observatory at SFU

Source: 604NOW