THUNDER BAY — Local stargazers are getting a double-dose of spectacular sights this week.
When the sky is clear, there's a great opportunity to view both the Perseid meteor shower and the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis.
The meteor shower – visible annually from mid-July to late August – is reaching its peak, with up to 100 meteors an hour.
The Perseids are the result of Earth passing through debris left behind by a comet that most recently passed close to Earth in 1992.
To the naked eye, the meteors can be faint, so it's best to watch in an area with no light pollution, preferably by lying on your back and looking straight up.
Experts caution that it can take up to 30 or 45 minutes for the human eye to adjust to night-time visibility, and that you should avoid looking at your cell phone.
The optimal time to catch the Perseids is from late in the evening to early in the morning in the northeastern sky, and using binoculars or a telescope is recommended.
Fort William Historical Park has offered residents who purchase tickets the chance to view them Monday night starting at 10:00 in the David Thompson Astronomical Observatory.
Area residents are also continuing to post numerous photos of the aurora borealis.
The colourful displays occur when charged particles from a solar storm collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere, creating light energy.
The northern lights are approaching the peak of their 11-year cycle.
The best time to view them is 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., particularly from late August to April.
