Perseid meteor shower to peak Monday night

One of the most popular meteor showers is set to peak Monday night across the northern hemisphere.

The Perseids are generally active from mid-July to the first of September, but usually peak during the middle of August.

An average of 50 to 75 or more meteors are possible every hour, but it’s not guaranteed. According to NASA, the best time to catch the meteors is in the pre-dawn hours, but it’s possible to view them as early as 10:00 PM.

There is no need to look in any particular direction as meteors can generally be seen all over the sky.

Originating from the constellation Perseus, the Perseids are made up of leftover particles from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

Every year, Earth passes through the comet’s debris trail, resulting in the Perseid meteor shower when the broken bits of the leftover comet collide with the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed resulting in the fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

The forecast on Monday night calls for a mostly clear sky with some passing clouds and temperatures mainly in the 60s.