The annual natural spectacle is back: this weekend the inhabitants of planet Earth will see an impressive phenomenon - the Perseid meteor shower.

The Perseids are one of the most powerful meteor streams, formed from the remnants of a comet's tail. As the meteors pass through the atmosphere, they glow and leave behind bright trails in the sky. This year's stargazing promises to be extremely exciting. After all, the conditions for observation are extremely favorable. Only 10% of the Moon's surface is expected to be illuminated. So we will be able to enjoy the meteor show to the fullest.

The meteor shower peaks on the night of Aug. 12-13, when Earth passes through the closest debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet's trail, NASA says. At that time, the moon will be in the new moon phase. And it's the best time to see as many meteors as possible.

A play on the starry sky

According to scientists, it will be on the night of August 12-13 that an impressive number of Perseids - 60 to 100 per hour - can be observed in the night sky. For those in brighter areas, this number will decrease to one meteor per minute.

"U.S. residents will be able to see about 40 Perseids in the hour before dawn on peak nights. That's about one shooting star for every couple minutes," notes Bill Cook, who heads NASA's Office of Meteoroid Environment. However, that's assuming you're outside of the city.

To see the Perseid meteor shower, you need to find a place with a dark sky. Then sit or lie down on the ground and look up at the sky. You do not need any special instruments to see the meteor shower. Meteors can be seen with the naked eye. It is best to look in the northeastern direction, where the constellation Perseus is located. But in general, the Perseid stream should be visible across the sky.

We suggest you enjoy the Perseid show at Joshua Tree National Parkin southeastern California. The dark night sky here is perfect for stargazing. Most of the 500 campsites in the park are available by reservation. Reservations can be made the same day at recreation.gov.

Such a fascinating display of nature is a great opportunity to get away from everyday life and enjoy the beauty of the Universe. Socium.Network team wishes everyone a good observation!

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Image: flickr.com