AS Earth revolves around the sun, it passes through streams of cosmic debris. The resulting meteor showers can light up night skies from dusk to dawn.
The Perseids meteor shower lights up the night sky when Earth runs into pieces of cosmic debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.
The dirty snowball is 28km wide and takes about 133 years to orbit the sun. Its last go-round was in 1992.
The Perseids are one of the most popular and reliable meteor showers of the year, known for their bright, fast streaks of light across the summer sky.
What causes it? Earth passes through a trail of dusty debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle on its orbit around the Sun.
When to watch: The Perseids are active each year from roughly mid-July to late August, typically peaking around mid-August. The best viewing time is usually in the pre-dawn hours, though meteors can sometimes be spotted as early as 10pm.
How many meteors can you see? Under dark skies, observers can typically see between 50 and 100 meteors per hour at the peak. The shower is also famous for producing spectacular fireballs – brighter, longer-lasting bursts of light caused by larger particles of cometary material.
Do I need special equipment? No. The Perseids are best viewed with the naked eye as they can appear across a large area of the sky. A telescope or binoculars would limit your view.
Tip for viewers: Find a location far from light pollution, lie down or recline to get a wide view of the sky, and allow your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
