Perseid meteor shower 2021: What time and where to see in the sky

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The Perseids River is considered the “best meteor shower of the year,” averaging 50-100 meteors every hour during its peak, according to NASA.

Washington – One of the most exciting celestial shows of the year has begun.

The Perseid meteor shower peaks in mid-August, but the annual event is considered active starting July 14, according to NASA.

The space agency explains on its website that it is considered the “best meteor shower of the year,” as 50-100 meteors can be seen every hour during the warm peak of summer.

This year, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to reach its peak on August 11, 12.

The Perseids appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, which is where the event gets its name, but tracking the constellation is not necessary because meteors will appear all over the sky.

These particular meteors are the result of space debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which orbits our sun every 133 years. Giovanni Schiaparelli is credited with discovering in 1865 that Swift-Tuttle was the source of the Perseids.

“Every year, Earth passes through these debris trails, allowing the bits to collide with our atmosphere and break apart to form fiery and colorful streaks in the sky,” NASA explains.

As EarthSky notes, 2021 could be a great year to see the Perseids because the rising crescent moon will be out early in the evening. With the moon below the horizon most of the night, meteors won’t have much light pollution to rival.

How do you see the Perseid meteor shower

For the best viewing in the Northern Hemisphere, NASA recommends going outside during the pre-dawn hours, although it is sometimes possible to see meteors from this shower as early as 10 p.m.

Those hoping to take a look at this year’s show can also use NASA’s Meteorite Estimator tool, which calculates how many meteors you can expect to see on a given date at a specific location.

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