The Kansas Sky Will Light Up With Shooting Stars And A Nearly Full Moon This Week

Have you ever taken the time to gaze at the sky at night and found something wonderful? Even if you don't have a camera able to capture the milky way, our night skies are gorgeous if you're far enough from the city. Luckily, we've got plenty of open country to view our skies from. This meteor shower will fill the sky with shooting stars, and it's happening right now.

Do you wish on shooting stars? Well there's a lot of them flying around right now, and they're all part of one of the best meteor showers we get in Kansas - the Perseids.

The Perseids are named after a constellation called Perseus, where the meteors seem to "come from" as they shoot across the sky.

The meteors themselves come from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle during it's return to our section of the solar system.

The Perseids happen from about July 17th to August 26th this year, and the high point is expected around August 12/13, depending on the year. The sky doesn't run on our clock, after all!

Rural locations like most of Kansas are the best for viewing, and you can expect anywhere from 50-75 meteors per hour during the peak nights.

You can also use apps like Star Walk (pictured), SkyView, Sky Guide, Shy Safari, and Scope Nights. Some of them identify meteors and constellations, and some even recommend areas where the sky is best viewed.

Great viewing locations are all over, and picking a direction to drive in is the first way to get you somewhere amazing.

Feel free to share any great viewing locations you've collected along the years! Also, if you're excited about seeing future events happening in the sky, check out this list of the biggest hits we expect this year.