The Perseid meteor shower will be at its peak from Aug. 11 to 13, when spectators should be able to see roughly 50 meteors per hour under clear, dark skies.
Conditions for this year's Perseid meteor shower appear to be favorable, while the spectacle may be impeded by the Pacific Northwest's wildfire season.
The shower, dubbed the "best meteor shower of the year" by NASA owing to its quick, bright, and numerous meteors that can be seen outside during the warm summer months, is not to be skipped.
Up to 100 meteors per hour can be seen blazing through the sky at 37 miles per second around Aug. 12, leaving long streaks behind.
The Perseid meteor shower occurs as Earth passes through the trail of cosmic debris left by 109PSwift-Tuttle, a comet that will not return to the inner solar system until 2125.
Because the meteors are famed for their fireballs, observers may expect to see larger, brighter flashes of light and color in the sky that will last longer than a regular meteor streak.
The meteors tend to radiate from their namesake, the constellation Perseus, although recognizing the constellation is not required to view the shower; they will appear all over the sky.
While the moon's brightness will not be an issue this year, the meteor shower may be blocked by clouds or smoke from the Pacific Northwest's ongoing wildfires.
Although conditions have improved as a result of recent wildfires being put out, the potential of fire remains, as well as the possibility that smoke would conceal the year's Perseids.
NASA recommends staying up late on Aug. 11 for the best viewing. Conversely, getting up extra early on Aug. 12 will work as well, as the shower's peak occurs in the pre-dawn hours.
If the sky is clear and free of light pollution, meteors can be viewed clearly all across the Northern Hemisphere sky without the use of special equipment. Simply look up at any region in the sky, and you should spot a fireball or two.
NASA recommends not staring at your phone while viewing so your eyes can acclimatize to the darkness effortlessly.
