The Perseids come around once a year and oftentimes is the biggest meteor shower of the year.
At its peak early Saturday morning, the Perseids produce up to 100 meteors an hour shooting across the night sky.
The meteors are produced by the leftovers of the 109P/Swift-Tuttle comet. The comet, which last passed through the inner solar system in 1992, left a trail of rock and dust, which burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
While the number of meteors places it among the largest showers of the year, this year’s magnitude could be diminished.
The moon will be quite bright Friday night and Saturday morning after just completing a full moon cycle. Some considered this month’s full moon a “supermoon” due to the moon being slightly closer to Earth, making the moon appear brighter.
The light from the moon could reduce the awe of the meteor shower.
Nonetheless, here is how to find tonight’s meteor shower:
When and where to look: Look toward the constellation Perseus, which will be rising in the northeast sky around midnight. The constellation moves higher into the sky into the early morning hours.
