Get ready for an all-natural light show in Tuesday’s sky — the Perseid meteor shower.
It’s the northern hemisphere’s most popular meteor shower of the year. The shower has been active since July but is set to peak this Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
If you can’t get out to have a look then, you may still be able to catch a glimpse of Perseid meteors the following two nights.
Perseid meteors are caused by dust and debris left behind from the tail of the comet Swift-Tuttle. Every August, the Earth passes through debris left behind by the comet, according to CNN.
The peak of the shower will coincide with the last quarter moon phase, or a bright half-moon. That brightness will bring the expected number of meteors visible down from more than 60 per hour to about 15 to 20 per hour, according to NASA.
The best way to view the meteor shower is by sitting in a reclining lawn chair or lying on your back and looking up at the sky with a wide view. It helps to be as far from artificial light as possible, according to CNN.
