According to NASA, the Perseids meteor shower is dubbed 'the best meteor shower of the year,' offering the sight of up to 100 meteors visible per hour. This weekend's meteor shower is bound to be even more spectacular due to conditions this year couldn’t be more perfect.
The most breathtaking event of the solar system will be distinctly visible throughout the United States and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere in the upcoming days. The Perseid meteor shower (Per-see-id) will reach its peak between 12 and 13 of August. Experts predict that it will deliver an unparalleled performance.
Named for the Perseus constellation, the Perseids have been occurring since late July and will continue until early September. They form as Earth routinely intersects the path of debris left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
The meteor trains appear when the air in front of the meteor is compressed and heated to thousands of degrees Celsius. The smaller meteors then evaporate, leaving behind a bright speck, while the larger ones can explode into fireballs.
Although the meteor shower will peak this weekend, it will remain active between 17 July and 24 August.
How to Observe the Perseid meteor
As advised by the Royal Greenwich Museum, the optimal time to see the Perseids this weekend will be from Saturday night to Sunday, especially between midnight and around 5:30 a.m. Meteors can appear in any part of the sky, so the more sky you can see the better. Experts recommend finding an open area, away from trees and buildings. This might mean heading to the countryside, a nearby park, or even just turning your back to streetlights if other options are unavailable.
Allow your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness so you can better appreciate the faint beauty of the shooting stars.
