How to watch the Perseid meteor shower

Heads up. The Perseid meteor shower will make its way across the night sky this week, and astronomers say the moonless sky will make for the best viewing since 2007. The moor the dark, the more it is ideal to watch meteor shower.

Tonight and early Thursday morning likely are the best chances to see the meteor shower. Clear skies and a new moon will create ideal viewing conditions in Northwest Iowa skies.

While you can stay home and watch the shooting stars from your backyard, if you live in town or around a lot of lights the display won’t be almost as spectacular.

The story behind the Perseid Meteor shower is that the earth is plowing its way through a river of dust and space particles are left behind by passing comets. Sounds like a good time and it’s free to attend.

Still, if you can find an unobstructed view away from man-made light, observers could see up to 100 meteors an hour. The Perseids leave large, colorful wakes in their trails and are also known for their fireballs – larger explosions of light and color that can last longer than an average meteor shower.

The shower occurs every year from July 17 to August 24.

There’s no need to even use a telescope, according to Michael Mendillo, a Boston University astronomy professor who studies the solar system. If our planet happens to pass through an unusually dense clump of comet debris, then an elevated number of meteors can be visible. They recommend bringing chairs and blankets. The meteors will appear to originate near the constellation Perseus in the northeast, but they’ll streak across the sky. To be more precise, get up early and enjoy the event at its peak between 4am and 5am ET Thursday.