Perseid Meteor Shower is This Week

The best meteor shower of the year is August 12 and 13. It's called the Perseids.

Some backyard astronomers are giving odds of 100 meteors per hour, though others are a little more cautious with a prediction of 50 meteors per hour.

No matter the number, meteor watching can be a great summer night under the stars. You'll need clear skies and a comfortable lawn chair. The meteors are supposed to be in the vicinity of the constellation Perseus, but having watched them for many years, I've seen them all over the sky.

The best time to watch is around midnight and from then until dawn. The Earth is plowing through the debris of tiny particles, left over from Comet Swift-Tuttle. It takes about a week to get through them.

Find out more with this NASA video. Then take a nap and be ready to be awake for the meteor shower.