Learn a little about what causes the annual meteor shower and where and when to look for it.
Every year between the 10th and 13th of August, something beautiful happens in the North Eastern sky.
The spectacular show of a meteor shower entertains stargazers that can sit up and brave the late night and early morning.
The meteor shower that is seen in the section of the sky that is slightly top left of the Perseus constellation comes from the left overs of the Comet Swift-Tuttle when every year, from around July 17 to August 24, our planet Earth crosses the orbital path of the comet.
The fast-moving and bright Perseid meteors usually leave trails of ionized gas lasting for a few seconds after the meteor has burned out.
You can see these meteors throughout the nighttime in front of the constellation from late night until dawn just before the second weekend in August.
The Perseids should put out a few dozen meteors per hour in the wee hours before dawn on the nights of August 10-11, 11-12 and 12-13.
How to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower You don't need any special equipment to see this nighttime show.
You won't even have to know your constellations.
You'll definitely need to find a dark, open sky to fully enjoy the show.
It also helps to be a night owl, otherwise you will be up for a long day after.
Give yourself at least an hour of observing time, because these meteors come in spurts and are linked with times that there will be nothing to see.
Having an open sky is important because the meteors fly across the sky in all directions and in front of many constellations.
If you follow the paths of the Perseid meteors backward, you will find that they come from the front of the constellation Perseus.
But as I said, you don't need to know Perseus or any other constellation to watch this or any meteor shower.
Get set up with the comfort of a reclining lawn chair and look upward in a dark sky, far away from any artificial lights.
Remember, your eyes can take a bit to truly adapt to the darkness of night.
So patient.
So make sure that you take a moment to sit out in nature and enjoy one of this worlds wonders of sight, and if you miss it this year, there is always next.
Every year between the 10th and 13th of August, something beautiful happens in the North Eastern sky.
The spectacular show of a meteor shower entertains stargazers that can sit up and brave the late night and early morning.
The meteor shower that is seen in the section of the sky that is slightly top left of the Perseus constellation comes from the left overs of the Comet Swift-Tuttle when every year, from around July 17 to August 24, our planet Earth crosses the orbital path of the comet.
The fast-moving and bright Perseid meteors usually leave trails of ionized gas lasting for a few seconds after the meteor has burned out.
You can see these meteors throughout the nighttime in front of the constellation from late night until dawn just before the second weekend in August.
The Perseids should put out a few dozen meteors per hour in the wee hours before dawn on the nights of August 10-11, 11-12 and 12-13.
How to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower You don't need any special equipment to see this nighttime show.
You won't even have to know your constellations.
You'll definitely need to find a dark, open sky to fully enjoy the show.
It also helps to be a night owl, otherwise you will be up for a long day after.
Give yourself at least an hour of observing time, because these meteors come in spurts and are linked with times that there will be nothing to see.
Having an open sky is important because the meteors fly across the sky in all directions and in front of many constellations.
If you follow the paths of the Perseid meteors backward, you will find that they come from the front of the constellation Perseus.
But as I said, you don't need to know Perseus or any other constellation to watch this or any meteor shower.
Get set up with the comfort of a reclining lawn chair and look upward in a dark sky, far away from any artificial lights.
Remember, your eyes can take a bit to truly adapt to the darkness of night.
So patient.
So make sure that you take a moment to sit out in nature and enjoy one of this worlds wonders of sight, and if you miss it this year, there is always next.