Perseid Meteor Shower To Put On Brilliant Show This Weekend

The annual Perseid meteor shower is set to peak this weekend and offer a brilliant night sky, according to NASA.

Though the Perseids can be spotted between July 17 and Aug. 24, the best views will be from Sunday at 4 p.m. to Monday at 4 a.m. EST, when the night is nearly moonless. Observers will be able to see between 60 and 70 meteors per hour during the peak.

The view is expected to be exceptional this year because the showers coincide with a new moon.

Those who live in mid-northern latitudes will be able to enjoy the best views, according to NASA. People can look directly overhead to see the meteors, as long as they are in a dark area without too much light pollution. For city residents, parks can offer relief from light to watch the streaks.

Your eyes can take up to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, NASA said.

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris from comets and asteroids. The Perseids are part of the 16-mile comet Swift-Tuttle’s trail of dust, and they’re named after the constellation Perseus, according to the American Meteor Society.

Here are some images of the Perseids from past years: