Perseid meteor shower and partial solar eclipse to give skywatchers a celestial show

By Morgan Lowrie Skywatchers in Quebec and beyond will get a unique show this week, as the Perseid meteor shower coincides with a partial solar eclipse. The Astrolab astronomy centre at the Mont-Mégantic, Que., provincial park says shooting stars will rain down from the sky between Tuesday and Friday. On Wednesday, the meteor shower will combine with a partial solar eclipse to create a rare celestial alignment. Sébastien Giguère, the Astrolab’s scientific coordinator, says the Perseid meteor shower can feature up to 100 shooting stars per hour, compared to about five on an average night. “From time to time, Earth passes through a trail of dust left behind by a comet, leaving behind more dust in the solar system,” Giguère said in a phone interview. “And when Earth crosses that…

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