HOW TO WATCH A METEOR SHOWER
 

Meteor.  Falling star.  Shooting star.  All are the same thing, and none has anything to do with a star!

A meteor is a speck of cosmic dust that falls into the atmosphere and disintegrate in a fiery burst of light.  Most nights, stargazers can see four or five of these every hour.

Several times each year, however, our planet slams into a swarm of particles left behind by a long-gone comet.  When this occurs, we on Earth witness a meteor shower.  The most famous showers are the Perseid shower in mid-August.  In a typical year, this shower produces about 60 to 100 meteors every hour, but other showers can be even more prolific.

Absolutely no equipment is needed to enjoy this cosmic show; you need only a site far from blinding city lights , a lawn chair or sleeping bag and, perhaps, a blanket or hot chocolate to keep warm. 

As the night progresses, you will see many meteors, or shooting stars, falling through the sky.  But your best chance comes after midnight and before dawn when we on Earth face the direction of our planet's orbital motion, enabling you to see "out the front window" at the meteors pelting us from the front.   Most will be dim, but some (fireballs) may be bright enough to break apart or leave smoke trails behind.   And some may glow in a variety of colors.

Check the sky calendar to learn when the next meteor shower is coming to a sky near you!