Meteor Watching Every year in August, the Perseid Meteor shower is visible to the naked eye and is a favorite for professional and amateur astronomers, alike.      Many people like the Perseid Meteor shower because it happens in the summer when people are on vacation, the nighttime temperatures are moderate, and the weather generally is good. People have been enjoying this summer sky show for over 2,000 years.     Meteors are little bits of rock and ice left over from a comet passing by. The Perseid meteors are from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which passes by Earth every 135 years. The comet... Show more

Meteor Watching

Every year in August, the Perseid Meteor shower is visible to the naked eye and is a favorite for professional and amateur astronomers, alike.     
Many people like the Perseid Meteor shower because it happens in the summer when people are on vacation, the nighttime temperatures are moderate, and the weather generally is good. People have been enjoying this summer sky show for over 2,000 years.    
Meteors are little bits of rock and ice left over from a comet passing by. The Perseid meteors are from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which passes by Earth every 135 years. The comet leaves a debris trail through which the Earth passes every year on its way around the Sun.    

As the Earth moves through the debris trail, the meteors hit the atmosphere and burn, leaving streaks of light across the sky. The best time to see this light show is in the very early morning when the moon is setting. You need to be away from city lights, with a dark, open sky to see the shooting stars at their best.    

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