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How to Watch a Meteor Shower

Meteor showers are nature's own light show and, unlike eclipses, happen several times a year all over the world. You can never know for sure how many meteorites will be visible on any given night, but you can increase your chances of seeing some.

Things You'll Need

Warm Clothes
Astronomy Guides
Blankets
Camera Tripod
Cameras
Digital Cameras
Telescopes
Binoculars
Sleeping Bags

Instructions

- 1
  Consult an astronomy field guide, an astronomy hotline or a local weather forecast for the dates of upcoming meteor showers. Major showers include the Perseids around August 11 and the Leonids around November 17.
- 2
  Drive to the darkest place possible as far away from street lights and city lights as possible.
- 3
  Place a blanket on the ground.
- 4
  Lie on your back and look up, slowly scanning the sky. Don't use binoculars or a telescope; the meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, and using binoculars just limits your field of vision.
- 5
  Look for streaks of light in the sky, typically lasting two seconds or less.

Astronomy