VANCOUVER -- The Perseid meteor shower may have reached its peak Wednesday morning but the show is far from over.
Sky watchers took in the annual meteor shower as it peaked just after midnight. But the Perseids can still be seen nightly up until Aug. 24.
"A Perseid is probably the best meteor shower for the entire year," said Michael Unger, program co-ordinator at H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, on CTV Morning Live Wednesday. "It's a great time to go out."
During a summer filled with several event cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, stargazers have been taking advantage of the chance to catch the dazzling display put on by Mother Nature.
"Meteors happen all the time but during the shower period you may see up to 10, or if you get to a dark spot maybe 15 in an hour," said Unger.
As for the best spot to watch the Perseids light up Metro Vancouver skies, Unger said the key is to get as far away from the city as possible.
“You just want to get to darker and darker places," he said. "If you can get away from the city lights, those are great places to go."
Unger suggests going to more remote locations like Pemberton or McDonald Park in Abbotsford.
As for capturing all the action, a Vancouver photographer who specializes in shooting night skies said amateur photographers who plan to use a smartphone may have to step things up.
"The iPhone doesn’t have a good enough sensor really to capture nice sky photography," said Aaron Von Hagen. “You might get lucky but it’s definitely not the right tool for the job.”
Instead, he suggests using a DSLR with a sturdy tripod, longer shutter speed and to face away from the moon.
But most importantly, he suggests not getting too caught up in filming and to just take a moment to enjoy the show.
"A lot of people spend a lot of time shooting," said Von Hagen. "Make sure you're watching it. It's important to see with your eyes as well."
