Look up: Draconid meteor shower peaks Oct. 8

Look up! The Draconid meteor shower peaks Oct. 8, and Denver should have a decent chance to catch it if skies are clear. The best part? You do not have to stay up until the middle of the night. Unlike many meteor showers that are better after midnight, the Draconids are usually easiest to see shortly after nightfall. Start watching around 9 p.m. and look toward the northern sky. 

This is expected to be a modest meteor shower, with about five to 10 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. In the Denver metro, city lights can make meteors harder to spot, so your best bet is to get away from bright lights if you can. Even heading toward the foothills, a darker neighborhood or an open area with a clear view of the sky can help. 

Viewing conditions should be pretty good this year thanks to a waning crescent moon, which means darker skies and a better chance of seeing meteors. The Draconids appear to come from the constellation Draco the Dragon in the northern sky, but you do not need to be an astronomy expert to enjoy it. Just look up and give your eyes time to adjust. 

No telescope or special equipment is needed. In fact, your eyes are best. Give yourself about 30 minutes in the dark and try not to check your phone too much, since the screen can mess with your night vision. 

The Draconids come from debris left behind by comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Earth passes through that dusty trail, and those tiny bits burn up in our atmosphere, creating the streaks we see overhead. 

Grab something cold to drink, step outside and take a few minutes to enjoy the Denver night sky. Happy sky watching!