Exceptional meteor shower could be invisible to most in Minnesota due to clouds

The night sky will burst Thursday with a spectacular meteor shower.

Unfortunately, it might be a bust for most Minnesotans. Storm clouds will keep what's being billed as one of the best shooting star shows out of view for much of the state. Those living under dark clouds can either head towards Fargo, where skies will be clearer or wait for better weather and skies on Friday — the second best night for the Perseid meteor shower.

Although the meteor shower can be seen every August, this year's "outburst" will make it exceptional, said Sally Brummel, planetarium programs manager at the University of Minnesota's Bell Museum of Natural History. What that means is that the meteors will be streaking across the sky at a higher rate, she said.

"Usually you'll see about 60 an hour, or one every minute," Brummel said. But on Thursday, the Perseid meteor shower could produce up to three times more than that — about 200 an hour or two to three a minute, she explained.

"It's predicted to be spectacular," Brummel said.

And we have Jupiter to thank for the big shooting star show, which, by the way, aren't really stars or falling.

"Long ago before people knew what they were, it looked like a star shooting across the sky," Brummel said.

"It's long gone but we still travel through its debris every year," Brummel said.

This year, the meteor shower will be more eye-popping because earth will pass through a denser cloud of the comet dust shifted because Jupiter's gravity pulls on the particles, she said.

To take in the show, all a person has to do is look up, Brummel said. "You want the darkest sky possible," she said. That means the best viewing time is after midnight as the moon sets and before sunrise.

Star gazers should get away from the glare of city lights and get their eyes adapted to the night sky, said Clayton Lindsey, president of the Minnesota Astronomical Society. His group has planned a viewing party starting at 9 p.m. Thursday at Eagle Lake Observatory in Norwood Young America, provided clouds don't interfere with the star gazing party.

"Just lay out a blanket and relax," Lindsey said. "And look up."

"I don't think the weather will be conducive to seeing anything but raindrops Thursday night," he said. "If you go out looking for meteors and your mouth is open, you will drown."

For those determined to see the meteor show on Thursday, head to the Red River Valley or Fargo, Douglas said.

Or, watch online. A live broadcast of the Perseid meteor shower will be available at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-msfc overnight on Aug. 11-12 and Aug. 12-13.

Otherwise, skies should clear Friday night, Douglas said.

"Even though it's one night past peak it still should be pretty good," he said.