Watch the annual Perseids Meteor Shower with a “Stargazer” cocktail!

What happens when dust grains 1/5 of an inch smack into our atmosphere at over 134,000 miles per hour? The best meteor shower of the year! For the next 5 days (peaking around midnight on Monday) the sky will be lit up with the annual Perseids Meteor Shower, which takes it’s name from the constellation Perseus- who according to the ancient Greek myth- was born from a shower of heavenly gold. It’s this area of the sky (northeast around midnight) that the dust particles from the tail of the comet Swift-Tuttle will be averaging over 55 meteors per hour on Sunday and Monday! The best part of Perseids? You don’t need binoculars, a telescope or any fancy equipment to see thee shooting stars- just a comfy spot away from city lights, and a nice bright cocktail of course! In honor of this delightful natural lightshow, I’ve come up with the perfect recipe for this annual event- the “StarGazer!”

In a cocktail tin, muddle 2 slices of starfruit with 2 oz of Clique Vodka. (You can find starfruit in any large supermarket with a large produce selection).  Squeeze in 1/4 oz lemon juice (usually half a lemon), and 1 oz white grape juice. Add some ice, and shake well until a nice frost appears on the outside of the glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish by floating a thin slice of starfruit on top of the cocktail.

Need some Stargazing tips from an expert?

Phil Plait, a.k.a. The Bad Astronomer, shares these tips for making your star gazing experience one to remember:

1. Find a dark spot- away from city and house lights

2. You don’t need to be facing Perseus, just find a spot where you can see as much of the sky as possible

3. Star gaze at local midnight- literally halfway between dusk and dawn

4. Get comfy and be patient. You should expect to see 1 meteor every 1-3 minutes

5. Forget looking through a lense- you’re actually less likely to see falling stars with part of your view obstructed!

Happy Gazing!