Mid-Michigan residents got a brief look at a partial solar eclipse Wednesday afternoon, but astronomers say the sky has even more in store as the annual Perseid meteor shower peaks under ideal viewing conditions tonight.
Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University, said clouds limited visibility of the eclipse, but observers still managed to catch a glimpse of the moon passing in front of the sun.
"We managed to see it briefly," Schmoll said. "There was definitely a lot of clouds, but in between, we managed to see it through our Coronado and through our Sun Spotter, which is an indirect viewer, and grab a few people as they're walking by to have them look."
The eclipse was only a minor one for Michigan. While a total solar eclipse was visible along a path stretching through Greenland and Spain, Michigan sat near the edge of the eclipse's reach.
The small amount of coverage of the sun — about 3% — meant the eclipse lasted a much shorter time locally than it would for viewers positioned within the path of totality.
"The reason why it's so short is because it is just skirting that edge," Schmoll said. "It's just the edge of that moon, so as it moves, it's not going to be in front of the sun for as long."
Even with the limited view, Schmoll said observers could clearly make out the moon's shadow on the sun.
"You could definitely see that little nibble taken out of the sun by the moon," she said. "That was pretty exciting to see that moment."
As the eclipse faded and people passed by the planetarium, taking a glimpse at the short event, attention shifted to another astronomical event expected to draw skywatchers outside overnight.
The Perseid meteor shower, one of the year's most popular meteor showers, reaches its peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
The annual event occurs when Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.
"When we catch up to that spot every year, we sort of are picking up those little debris bits, like bugs on a windshield, and they come through our atmosphere and burn up as these beautiful streaks that we call a meteor," Schmoll said.
The shower is active from mid-July through late August, but Schmoll said Wednesday night's peak offers one of the best opportunities to see the display.
"The best way to observe this is to get outside of the city, away from city lights as best you can, and just get comfortable and look up," Schmoll said.
While meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, Schmoll said they will seem to originate from a point in the constellation of Perseus, which gives the shower its name. Schmoll added that the hours before sunrise typically offer the best viewing.
"Those early hours, like 3, 4 a.m. before the sun rises, is when we're rotating into that field," Schmoll said.
This year's peak is getting an added boost from another celestial event: a new moon.
A new moon occurs when the moon moves between Earth and the sun, leaving the illuminated side facing away from Earth. As a result, the moon is essentially invisible in the night sky.
"Having a new moon right now at the peak of the Perseids is ideal because it means we'll see some of the fainter meteors because the moon won't be there to drown it out," Schmoll said.
For those hoping to catch the show, Schmoll's advice is simple: head outside, be patient and enjoy the night sky.
"If you are someone who can stay up late, just go outside and get comfortable and be patient, and you should be able to see a good amount," Schmoll said.
And even after the meteor shower fades, Schmoll said the night sky always offers something worth exploring.
"The sky is there every night," Schmoll said. "Any night that it's clear, it's worth looking up and observing the stars and the constellations and the planets, and it's a really great way to start to do science and observe patterns by going outside."
This story is brought to you as part of a partnership between WKAR and Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.