Thursday's Predawn Sky To Be Dazzled By Perseid Meteor Shower

DENVER (CBS4) - It's an annual summertime favorite as Earth plows into space debris left from a comet called Swift-Tuttle.

This year the Perseid meteor shower peaks between August 11-14 but exceptional viewing is expected before sunrise on August 13.

Astronomers say at times there could be anywhere from 60-120 meteors per hour.

"The shower radiates from the constellation Perseus, but you'll see meteors coming from the North as wide as your full field of vision," says Jeff Tropeano with the Denver Astronomical Society.

No special equipment is needed to watch this celestial show other than to find a comfy chair and to look north from the horizon to the top of the sky.

To have the best observation possible find an area with a dark open sky away from city lights.

(credit: CBS)

The Perseid meteor shower is a staple this time every year due to Earth's rotation around the sun but some years are better than others for viewing.

This year the phase of the moon is cooperating by casting very little light.

The meteor shower will be most active after midnight each night since at that time our side of Earth is revolving into the direction of Earth's orbit around the sun.

Tropeano says it's like getting rain drops on the front windshield instead of the back while whizzing down the road.

Meteor showers all start with meteoroids, which are chunks of space matter floating around in space. When a chunk of matter enters the Earth's atmosphere it heats up and causes a streak in the night sky called a meteor.

If any of the space matter survives the entry into the atmosphere and lands somewhere on Earth's surface its called a meteorite.

Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.