Annual Perseids Meteor Shower Underway

AUSTIN,TX- The Perseids Meteor Shower is occurring now and will continue in the night sky until late August.

Considered the best meteor shower of the year, the Perseids Meteor Shower takes place each summer from mid July to late August. 

The Earth makes its way around the Sun and passes through a dust trail left behind by the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. This comet was last in our inner solar system in 1992 and orbits the Sun every 133 years.

The particles left behind in the dust trail collide with the Earth’s atmosphere and create fireballs and the meteor shower.

The Perseids Meteor Shower has larger particles from the comet and according to NASA are large explosions of light and color that persist longer than the average meteor streak.

At its peak in mid August, you can see up to 100 meteors an hour with the best viewing in the very early morning.