The biggest and best of the summer’s string of meteor showers is now underway. The Perseids – known for bringing bright fireballs that arc across the sky – started in mid-July.
The meteor shower is expected to be more visible as it continues to ramp up toward its peak, which will be Aug. 12 and Aug. 13. These “shooting stars” will remain visible until around Aug. 23, according to NASA.
So if you’re ready to celebrate summer with some eye candy in the night sky, this is the event for you. Host your own “star party” by inviting friends over for some skywatching fun, or just tip your head back do a little solo marveling.
What makes this one so special?
“With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere,” according to NASA’s primer on this meteor shower. “The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour. They occur with warm summer nighttime weather, allowing sky watchers to comfortably view them.”
The best time to see the Perseids is in the very dark sky before dawn. But, some nights, they can be seen as early as 10 p.m.
So, what’s with the fireballs? According to NASA, these are really colorful explosions of light that can make the “shooting star” look of a meteor seem brighter and longer than an average sky streak.
Perseids originate from the debris trail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. The fireballs come from the larger pieces of these comet leftovers.
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