How to spot the Perseid meteor shower, a summer light show that promises to dazzle

Perseid meteor shower graces summer skies, offering a dazzling celestial display. The peak of the shower occurs on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, with conditions favorable for Northern Hemisphere viewers. Under optimal circumstances, up to 50 to 100 meteors per hour may be visible, with estimates of 30 to 50 meteors per hour from rural areas.

The meteors are fragments of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 133 years. Observations of the Perseids date back over 2,000 years, making it a perennial favorite due to its bright fireballs and the fact that summer temperatures make it a popular viewing event. To view the meteors, find a dark location away from city lights, wait until after midnight when the constellation Perseus is high in the sky, and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness.