The Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend and it’s an especially perfect time to watch because the moon will be in its waning crescent stage, making the skies darker than usual.
FILE - A Perseid meteor streaks across the sky above desert pine trees on August 13, 2015 in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Nevada.The meteors should be traveling from north to south, according to theTheir radiant point, which is where the meteors appear to "originate" or "radiate" from, is located in the constellation Perseus, hence the name Perseids.
FILE - The Perseid meteors appear to stream away from the shower's"radiant" point near the border of Perseus and Cassiopeia. For those who are in the perfect spot at the darkest of night with limited light from the moon of surrounding cities, some skywatchers can see as many as 90 meteors per hour, maybe more, according to EarthSky.
The Perseids typically peak in mid-August every year because the Earth passes near the path of the comet from where the meteors originate.
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