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Where to Watch Tonight's Perseid Meteor Shower: Hit the Lake or Find Shade

CHICAGO — Chicago's one of the most light-polluted cities in the nation, but urban stargazers still have a shot to see this week's Perseid meteor shower here.

The annual cosmic event, which occurs every time the Earth crosses the path of the Swift-Tuttle Comet's debris, will reach peak visibility this week through Friday night. 

Dave Matthews says the timing is great this year with a new moon:

The shooting stars can be seen anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, but some places better than others, said Larry Ciupik, a senior astronomer at Adler Planetarium. The Adler is hosting a watch party in the suburbs to escape the city's bright lights, but Ciupik offered some tips on where to watch Downtown:

Stay out late.

The view is best right after midnight, when the sky is darkest. But waiting an hour after sundown should also work, Ciupik said. 

Look northeast.

The beaches of Lake Michigan provide the best vantage point. But those close at 11 p.m., so if you want to stay out later your best bet is on a boat, "in the shadow of a building," or anywhere secluded from city lights, Ciupik said. 

The northeast is "where the meteors originate from, [but] they spread across the whole sky," he said.

The best night to watch? Wednesday.

Forecasts call for clear skies Wednesday night, and the time will be right on the Lunar calendar. Even Downtown, the meteor shower should be visible without the aid of a telescope or binoculars, Ciupik said. 

"The moon is not visible during this particular event, so it should be very good," he said.  

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