cleonissimo asked: I'm Australia, will I be able to see the Perseids at all? I know it's less visible for us but can we see anything at all?

Yes! You will be able to see some if you go out [1-3 hours] before dawn, in the early morning. Obviously, due to your Southern location, you will observe a lower amount of meteors per minute/hour, but they should be very impressive, none-the-less. They will be seen shooting upwards from the Northern horizon. Just remember, stay away from town and city lights, as well as man-made lights/objects emitting light [ie. cell phones, flash lights, etc.]. Also get outside and situated about 45 minutes earlier than you expect to start to actually skywatch to give your eyes a little more than the half hour necessary for them to fully adjust for the night sky.

Here’s a chart [via Space.com] for times and locations that will result in the best meteor shower viewing of the Perseids for anyone interested:

“In the table included with this guide, the altitude of the radiant at a particular time (for viewers at latitude 40 degrees north) is given, along with the corrected percentage amount that you’re likely to see.Based on the table, after about 2:30 a.m. you should be seeing at least 80 percent of the predicted ZHR.  But there’s another, more important factor to also take into account.”[This chart depicts the position (in degrees above the horizon) that the Perseid meteor shower radiant will appear in the northeastern sky in August 2012. Your closed fist held out at arm’s length covers 10 degrees of the night sky. CREDIT: Joe Rao]

If you can’t catch it outside, due to weather, or positioning on Earth, or uncontrollable circumstances, you can always catch it online thanks to NASA. “To view the Perseid meteor shower webcast, and to take part in NASA’s “Up All Night” chat, visit their website on Saturday night at 11 p.m. EDT.” [x]

peaceloveandidiots asked: You know that meteor shower on the 23rd? Will I be able to see it from England? I don't wanna wait out all night to see nothing :3

Hello! 

I definitely do know of that meteor shower, and it actually starts tonight!! [It is visible until the 23rd.] This specific meteor shower is called the Perseids and is an annually stellar show that graces our Earth’s night skies. 

Yes!! You should definitely be able to see it from England. People located more in the Southern hemisphere of Earth will have some issues seeing it, though, as the number of meteors they witness may be less than projected for the Northern hemisphere dwellers.

“The Perseids can be seen all over the sky, but the best viewing opportunities will be across the northern hemisphere.

From the UK, the best time to see the Perseid shower is likely to be on the morning of 12 August before dawn, when as many as 60 meteors an hour may be visible. Despite the Moon, this year’s prospects for viewing are relatively good.” [x]

Here is a post I just reblogged with a detailed, yet simplistic breakdown of all the need-to-know information about watching, and getting ready to watch, the Perseids. Also, it takes about half an hour for your eyes to fully adjust to the night sky so you can see all the stars, planets, and the Perseids themselves. Because of this, everyone should get outside and settled about fourty-five minutes before you plan on starting to watch this awesome meteor shower. [Make it a point to avoid looking at man-made lights, towns, cities, as well as avoiding the use of bright flashlights, your phone, etc. during your sky-watching period, as to avoid impairing your full optic viewing capabilities.] That way your eyes will be fully adjusted once you’re ready to start watching! 

“These swift-moving meteors start to streak across the nighttime sky by mid to late evening. As evening deepens into late night, the number of meteors starts to increase. The intensity picks up all the more after midnight, and the greatest numbers of meteors typically bombard the sky in the dark hours just before dawn. At mid-northern latitudes, you may see as many as 50 Perseid meteors per hour.

Appreciably south of the equator, the count will be less – perhaps 10 to 15 meteors per hour. Also, at southerly latitudes, the first Perseids probably won’t appear until midnight or the wee hours of the morning. That’s because the constellation Perseus – the radiant point for the Perseid meteors – is a far northern constellation. Perseus rises earlier in the evening and climbs higher in the sky at northerly latitudes.” [x]

I really do hope you get to see some, and bring some friends! Skywatching is always better with a group of friends and/or family* who will fully appreciate our universe’s lovely light shows. *This is a great chance to take the kids out to see something really inspiring, especially if the weather is nice. Bringing blankets, jackets, and hot chocolate/coffee/tea is always a really good idea as well, just in case it gets a bit chilly. 

I hope this helps you out, thanks for asking. Happy skywatching & don’t forget to tell your friends!