What is a Perseid meteor shower and how can Canadians see it?

Canadians will be able to catch a glimpse of the Perseid meteor shower, which will be especially bright — and could even include fireballs — starting this weekend.

The annual meteor shower is expected to peak on the evening of Aug. 11 into the following morning on Aug. 12, according to NASA. It is considered one of the most abundant showers and roughly 50 to 100 meteors can be seen each hour.

The shower can be quite dazzling, as the meteors often leave streaks of colour and light that trail behind them. But that’s not all. The Perseids are also known for fireballs, larger explosions of light and colour, according to NASA’s webpage about the meteor shower.

This year, the Perseids will be “slightly impacted” by a 53 per cent waxing Moon, per NASA, but the moon will set as the shower starts to peak.

The Perseid meteor shower can be seen from the northern hemisphere, according to the Canadian Space Agency.

For the best chance at viewing the shower, the agency recommends leaving the city and going “in search of dark skies in the countryside.” And don’t forget to bring an extra blanket, or two. Despite warm summer evenings, it can still get cold overnight.

NASA recommends checking the weather of specific viewing locations for predictions on fog, clouds, and temperature to decide where to best set up. Clear skies are important for viewing.

There are also public viewing events across the country.

Residents near Penticton, B.C., can join the National Research Council Canada team at Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory for a stargazing event on Aug. 10.

Those in Quebec can view the Perseids at the astronomy activity centre ASTROLab at Mont-Megantic National Park from Aug. 9 until Aug. 11.

The meteor shower is made up of debris from the Swift-Tuttle comet, named after the two men who discovered it independently in 1862, according to a page about the comet on NASA’s website.

“When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. Every year, earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere and disintegrate to create fiery and colourful streaks in the sky,” according to the space administration.

Although the meteor shower begins in mid- to late July and lasts until September, it peaks in mid-August. Its meteors travel at 59 kilometres per second, or more than 200,000 kilometres per hour.

The name of the shower is taken from its radiant, the point in the sky it appears to come from, which is in the constellation Perseus.

Perseus was the son of the god Zeus in Greek mythology. He was known for slaying Medusa, who turned anyone who looked directly at her into stone and had serpents sticking out of her head, rather than hair.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here.