The night sky will offer area astronomers a two-for-one show Thursday.

The show begins at sundown when Venus, Saturn, Mars and the crescent moon pop out of the western twilight in tight conjunction. Each will fit within a circle about 10 degrees in diameter. The planets will hang together in the western sky until about 10 p.m.
When they leave, sinking below the horizon, the Perseid meteor shower begins. From 10 p.m. to dawn, meteors will flit across the starry sky. The Perseid meteor shower is caused by debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle. Every 133 years the huge comet swings through the inner solar system and leaves behind a trail of dust and gravel.
When Earth passes through the debris, specks of comet-stuff hit the atmosphere at 140,000 mph and disintegrate in flashes of light. These meteors are called Perseids because they fly out of the constellation Perseus.
Experts say the best time for viewing is during the darkest hours before dawn on Friday morning, when most observers will see dozens of Perseids per hour.
(Source: courierpress.com)