The Perseid meteors began appearing in the sky in late July, and their numbers are continuing to pick up as they build towards their predicted peak during the early morning hours of Thursday, August 12 between midnight and sunrise. They will then begin phasing out through August 18.

Because of their brightness and consistency, the Perseids are considered the most popular meteor shower for those who enjoy watching this type of event, and this year should be an above average show thanks to dark skies from an early setting sliver of a moon that is just starting to wax following the August 8 new moon. This will be a welcome change from last year, when the waning moon was still half full and close to the spot in the sky the meteors radiate from.

The Perseids’ are named after the Perseus constellation because of the point they appear to shoot from. This point, called the radiant, is located near the constellation in the northern sky named after the Greek mythological hero Perseus.

The best way to enjoy this celestial show is to find an outdoor location as far from any lights as possible and with the widest view of the night sky available. Take a blanket or lawn chair so you can comfortably watch the sky without cramping your neck. You may want to invite a friend(s), pack some snacks and plenty of your favorite beverages, and have a viewing party. You should plan to spend at least 20 minutes with no lights whatsoever to give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. It is strongly suggested that you leave your cell phone behind, so you’re not tempted to look at the bright screen and have to start all over letting your eyes adjust. If you know where the Perseus constellation is, that is a good spot to focus on. If you don’t know, it’s not a big deal, because the fast and bright meteors can appear in a large portion of the sky, so you can simply face towards the north, relax, pay attention to the sky until you figure out where the radiant is, and enjoy. As the night progresses, the radiant rises progressively higher into the sky in the northeast until light from the break of dawn brings an end to the nocturnal show. Observers should be able to see approximately fifty to seventy-five meteors an hour, and possibly more if they are in an exceptionally dark location free from smoke or haze and catch an active period in the shower.

The Perseids should peak for 12 hours or so, centered on the time when the sun’s ecliptic longitude is 140.0° to 140.1° (equinox 2000.0), which occurs on Aug. 12. Predictions are that the absolute best time to watch is from 2 to 5 a.m., early Thursday morning. Of course, there is no absolute guarantee this will be the actual peak. It’s just when the conditions are most favorable. It’s possible that there are more meteors seen at times the night before or after.

Like all comets, Swift-Tuttle is actual a ball of dust, ice, rock, and organic material. The shower of shooting stars is caused by Earth’s passage through debris that has been shed in the trail of the comet. According to NASA, Swift-Tuttle’s nucleus is 16 miles wide, which is believed to be the largest solar system object to pass close to Earth repeatedly. The comet orbits the sun in an elliptical pattern, passing close to earth every 133 years. Because of the shape of its orbit, it is traveling at an extremely fast speed when it whips by the Earth. When the earth passes through the trail of debris the comet left behind, the sand-size pieces that have flaked off the comet are traveling at 133,200 mph when they enter the atmosphere. Friction with the air causes the small grains to heat up, which causes the air around them to glow, becoming a “shooting stars,” or meteors when they streak across the sky. That’s why Perseid meteors are brighter and much faster than most meteor showers.

If, for some reason you miss the show Thursday, don’t worry. There will continue to be some meteors visible for roughly a week afterwards, just as there was a week before.