The Perseid meteor shower offers a spectacular viewing experience, and you can catch its peak on August 12. Journalist Regina G. Barber teams up with planetary scientist Melissa Rice in a podcast episode exploring the fascinating world of shooting stars. Contrary to their name, these streaking lights are not stars at all, but rather meteoroids burning as they enter Earth’s atmosphere.
To learn more about observing the Perseids, tune in to the episode where Barber and Rice discuss various types of meteors, their origins, and other insightful details.
Listeners interested in stellar science can reach out with questions at [email protected]. By becoming a supporter through NPR+, you gain benefits across over 25 podcasts, including bonus content, early and archive access, specially curated playlists, and an ad-free experience.
For listening convenience, find Short Wave on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This episode was produced and edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Gisele Grayson and meticulously fact-checked by Katherine Sypher, with audio expertise from Brian Jarboe and Gilly Moon.