Every year at this time a dramatic shower of meteors streaks across the sky of the Northern Hemisphere. It is called the Perseid meteor shower (because it appears to originate from the area of the sky where the constellation Perseus is located). This celestial fireworks display is the result of the Earth passing through the orbit of the Swift-Tuttle comet. Little bits of the comet that are floating in its wake then hit the upper atmosphere and begin to flash and burn. Meteors in this shower are unusually bright and often leave lasting trails across the sky. The meteor display increases in frequency across the night with most intense show occurring in the hours before dawn; sometimes as many as 50 an hour. This is a great year to observe the Perseids because the moon will not be present in the sky and it is occurring on the weekend. Take blankets or even lawn chairs to an area that has a clear view of the sky and is as far away from city lights as possible (though you can still see plenty from your backyard). In order to enjoy the show to its fullest, go later in the night (the hours before dawn are best) and plan on spending at least an hour (because the meteors occur in spurts).
