Perseid meteor shower gives Christians the chance to see God’s handiwork, says meteorologist

Late nights are part of the job for Chris Holcomb, chief meteorologist for 11Alive News. He typically doesn’t get home until after midnight following the 11 p.m. broadcast and, with his mind still active, needs a way to wind down.

So, many nights he’ll go into his backyard, sit in a chair and do what you’d expect of someone in his profession.

He looks up.

“My wife is already asleep, and I can’t go directly to bed,” he said. “I’ll just go and sit and let the stress of the day escape from me. I look at the stars, and it’s God’s way of helping me relax and recognize the serenity of the night and the beauty of His creation.”

Christians have an opportunity this week to see an annual display of God’s creation and cosmos. The Perseids meteor shower will be at its highest intensity and can bring up to 100 meteors per hour, NASA said. The event occurs as Earth passes through debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle.

Best viewing is done just before dawn, with the optimal time probably having been in the pre-dawn hours of Monday, Aug. 12.

“You can see them at any point in the sky, but they will be originating from the north,” said Holcomb, a member of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth.

The consistency of Earth’s passage in proximity to Swift-Tuttle is something believers don’t need to miss.

“It’s just an amazing part of God’s creation, and scientists can recognize when it’s going to happen and the best time to see it,” he said.

A great show isn’t guaranteed, though. Last year Holcomb was on vacation at the beach during the Perseids and thought he had a prime opportunity to see a celestial light show over the Gulf of Mexico. He even set an alarm in the middle of the night and woke up his wife to join him, but only a couple of meteors were visible.

Skies become clearer after the moon sets. It can make for a late night — or very early morning — but Holcomb said such events are not only fascinating, but serve as reminders of a Creator.

“It’s good to look at the sky and just be amazed,” he said. “When that debris from the comet hits the atmosphere, it’s protecting us by burning them up and creating fireballs across the sky. It reminds you of what a big world this is, but also the size of space.”