Look to the night skies  - the Perseid meteor shower is active.

The shower is active from July 17 to August 24 and is expected to be most visible in the pre-dawn hours of August 11-13. The peak offers the best chance to see the most meteors, potentially up to 100 per hour. However, the nearly full moon during the peak may make it more difficult to see fainter meteors.

At Steenburg Lake we are in prime viewing territory because we are rural and away from the glow of the city lights. To maximize the viewing experience, it’s advised you turn off lights that might dull the view. The best time to view is after midnight.

Tips for Viewing:

• Give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness. 
• Get comfy in a nice chair, patience is a virtue.
• Dress for the weather.
• Avoid using bright lights (like your phone) as they can hinder your night vision. 
• Consider using a red filter on your flashlight (you can use a red balloon) to preserve your night vision.

According to NASA, the Perseids is considered the best meteor shower of the year. The swift, bright meteors, frequently leave long "wakes" of light and colour behind them as they streak through Earth's atmosphere. Look for 50 to 100 meteors per hour. Perseids are also known for their fireballs.

“Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When comets come around the Sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. Every year Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere and disintegrate to create fiery and colourful streaks in the sky.” – Source: NASA

Photo by Arnas Goldberg, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia