by 
Ren Junchuan/Xinhua via Getty
Greetings Earthlings!
It’s time to look skyward again because the Perseid meteor shower is upon us, which according to NASA is considered “the best meteor shower of the year.”
Not only do the shooting stars produce about 50 to 100 meteors an hour, but the super-fast, bright balls leave “wakes” of light and color in their wake as they streak across Earth’s atmosphere.
The Perseids are also known for their fireballs, which make the stars appear brighter and faster compared to the average meteor shower due to its diversion from larger particles of cometary material.
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Like all meteor showers, the burning stars originate from their parent comet – and for the Perseids, that would be comet Swift-Tuttle. The showers produce an incredible spectacle of stars when they reach the top.
“It’s the moment when Earth passes through the heart of the dust stream left by comet Swift-Tuttle,” said science astrophotographer and astronomer Dr. Darren Baskill Science Focus Magazine.
Here’s everything to know about the 2022 Perseid meteor shower, from when they peak to how to watch.
When does the Perseid meteor shower peak?
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This year, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak at 1 a.m. local time on August 13 — but the early hours of Saturday morning aren’t your only chance to try and catch a glimpse of the stellar spectacle!
The Perseids began on July 17 and will remain active through August 24, giving stargazers more chances to see the celestial spectacle. In fact, it might be best to catch the shooting stars on a bad night because of the full Sturgeon Moon that will be in effect.
For prime views, it’s best to look up at the sky on a crystal clear night away from any light pollution so the stars can really pop.
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When will you see the Perseid meteor shower?
Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty
While viewing the showers at their peak is expected to give stargazers the most meteors, EarthSky.com suggests looking up from late evening to early dawn in early August for the Perseids.
“Also be aware that the Perseids are strengthening in numbers as the late night deepens into the wee hours of the morning,” the room sale reports. “Watch for several mornings, until the waxing moon—brighter each night and up for several hours—drives you in again.”
Viewers can expect to catch a meteor “every minute or so during rush hour — and they move fast!” Baskill told Science Focus Magazine.
Where does the Perseid meteor shower appear in the sky?
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Like all meteor showers, they appear to shoot from their rays – the point in the sky from which the stars appear to come. Usually they fly high near their corresponding constellation. For the Perseids, that star cluster is known as the Perseus constellation, which “follows the brighter and more distinctive constellation Cassiopeia,” according to Space.com.
Before you go and invest in a star chart, meteor showers can most often be seen all over the night sky, despite appearing to radiate from their corresponding constellation.
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What meteor shower comes after the Perseids?
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Following the Perseid meteor shower are the Orionids, a moderately powerful shower that can produce a maximum of 10-20 stars, according to the American Meteor Society. They are set to start on September 26th and remain active until November 22nd. The Orionids are expected to peak between the late evening of October 20 and the early morning of October 21.
