I'm going to do a night run on August 12, up to the highest point in Rowher Flats, to view the best meteor shower of the year, The Perseids.

I'm planning on meeting at 7 pm. at the north end of Rowher Flats (N34° 34.5749' W118° 22.4532') just off Bouquet Canyon Road, and hitting the trail around 7:30 pm. We should reach the summit around 8:00, maybe 8:30 pm, in time to set up chairs/blankets and such to view the meteor shower.



The Rowher Flat Trail is easily do-able by stock vehicles with air dams and side steps removed. It's primarily a sandy
and rocky dirt road with some ruts and fairly steep sections.

If possible, I may have an astronomer come along to enhance the experience.  Because we'll be at the top of the hill, it may be cool/cold, so bring appropriate warm clothing, blankets and/or sleeping bags. Maybe even a Thermos with some hot coffee or hot chocolate, if you're so inclined.

I plan on driving down the south side of the hill around 11 pm. and exit on Rush Canyon Road at Sierra Highway. From
there, we'll travel west on Sierra Highway to Sand Canyon, turning left and meeting up with Highway 14 before heading
back home.

The Perseid meteor shower pretty much peaks on the night of August 12. The Moon is just a couple of days past new at the shower's peak, so there will be no moonlight to interfere with the faint meteors. The shower should reach its peak in
the hours after midnight, with a maximum of a few dozen meteors visible per hour.

The Perseids is the name of a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids are so-called because the point they appear to come from, called the radiant, lies in the constellation Perseus. The stream of debris is called the Perseid cloud and stretches along the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle. The cloud consists of particles ejected by the comet as it travels on its 130-year orbit. Most of the dust in the cloud today is around a thousand years old. However, there is also a relatively young filament of dust in the stream that was pulled off the comet in 1862. The rate of meteors originating from this filament is much higher than for the older part of the stream.

The Perseid meteor shower has been observed for about 2000 years, with the earliest information on this meteor shower coming from the Far East. Some Catholics refer to the Perseids as the "tears of St. Lawrence", since August 10 is the date of that saint's martyrdom.

The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the peak in activity being between August 9 and 14, depending on theparticular location of the stream. The meteors can be seen all across the sky, but because of the path of Swift-Tuttle's
orbit, Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere. As with all meteor showers, the rate is greatest in
the pre-dawn hours, since the side of the Earth nearest to turning into the sun scoops up more meteors as the Earth
moves through space.

What are meteor showers?

An increase in the number of meteors at a particular time of year is called a meteor shower. Comets shed the debris that becomes most meteor showers. As comets orbit the Sun, they shed an icy, dusty debris stream along the comet's orbit. If Earth travels through this stream, we will see a meteor shower. Depending on where Earth and the stream meet, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation.

Meteor showers are named by the constellation from which meteors appear to fall, a spot in the sky astronomers call the radiant. For instance, the radiant for the Perseid meteor shower is so named because meteors appear to fall from a point in the constellation Perseus. Perseid meteors will appear to "rain" into the atmosphere from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast around 11 p.m. in mid-August.

How can I best view a meteor shower?

If you live near a brightly lit city, drive away from the glow of city lights and toward the constellation from which the meteors will appear to radiate. After you've escaped the city glow, find a dark, secluded spot where oncoming car headlights will not periodically ruin your sensitive night vision. Look for state or city parks or other safe, dark sites. Once you have settled at your observing spot, lie back or position yourself so the horizon appears at the edge of your peripheral vision, with the stars and sky filling your field of view. Meteors will instantly grab your attention as they streak by.

How do I know the sky is dark enough to see meteors?

If you can see each star of the Little Dipper, your eyes have "dark adapted," and your chosen site is probably dark enough. Under these conditions, you will see plenty of meteors.

What should I pack for meteor watching?

Treat meteor watching like you would the 4th of July fireworks. Pack comfortable chairs, bug spray, food and drinks, blankets, plus a red-filtered flashlight for reading maps and charts without ruining your night vision. Binoculars are not necessary. Your eyes will do just fine.