Animation of Perseid Meteor Shower 1

Take a look at this amazing animation to observe the Perseid meteoroids that peaks in mid-August, when Earth intersects the dust cloud left by comet Swift-Tuttle.

The featured animation depicts the entire meteoroid stream as it orbits our Sun. When the Earth nears this stream, as it does every year, the Perseid Meteor Shower occurs. Highlighted as bright in the animation, comet debris this size is usually so dim it is practically undetectable. Only a small fraction of this debris will enter the Earth’s atmosphere, heat up and disintegrate brightly.

This weekend promises some of the better skies to view the Perseid shower as well as other active showers because the new moon will not only be faint.

How can I see a meteor shower?

Meteor showers are best seen on certain dark and clear nights. To see how many meteors per hour are visible from your location, go to this website and select the date, the shower, and your location.

source APOD