"Get ready to be amazed: The 2024 meteor season is set to be the most jaw-dropping yet!"

 The Perseids meteor shower season begins tonight, bringing stunning flashes of light across the night sky. The season will continue through July and August before ending on September 1.

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The best nights to see meteors are in mid-August – the 11th, 12th and 13th to be precise – which is a lucky coincidence, because, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, the moon will set just before midnight, according to Jamie Carter at Forbes. 

This time of year means most of the night will be dark and free of moonlight – perfect for watching the rain. Considering the moon's phases aren't always so cooperative, this makes it one of the best times to travel in search of dark skies.

The Perseids are an annual event caused by the intersection of the Earth's orbit with the path of the comet Swift-Tuttle which orbits the Sun for 133 years. As the Earth passes through a comet's tail, the particles become trapped in our atmosphere and burn up, causing bright flashes of light in the sky. 

Swift-Tuttle itself was seen in the sky in the 1860s and 1990s; it will reappear about a century from now, in the year 2126.

The Perseids are so named because they appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, which is named after the Greek mythological hero, son of Danaë and Zeus and slayer of Medusa and Cetus. 

The sky around the constellation is full of other characters in the Perseus myth, including Andromeda, the princess Perseus rescued from Cetus; Pegasus, Perseus' winged horse; and Andromeda's parents, Cepheus and Cassiopeia. The name “Perseid” means “son of Perseus”.

The Perseids also have folklore in non-Pagan mythology. These meteors are sometimes called “St. Lawrence,” named after the Catholic saint who protects against fire and also ensures the success of barbecue events. 

(Traditionally, St. Lawrence was martyred by roasting, although historically this is unlikely to have actually happened.)

Apart from the Perseids, there are several other meteor showers that occur in July and August, including Capricornids. 

Delta Aquarids, Piscis Australids, Alpha Capricornids, Iota Aquarids, and Kappa Cygnids, according to Space.com. Although there are no showers as large as the Perseids, they will add sparkles to the sky and produce meteors of different colors and speeds.

The best time to observe meteors is in the morning, before dawn. This is because several hours after sunset, we are still on the back side of the earth, and most potential meteors are not fast enough to catch up to us. 

However, after midnight, the northern hemisphere is on the leading edge of the Earth, and any particles that get in our way will become meteors. How many meteors can we see near the peak? Carter said 50 would be a “tremendous result.” 

But EarthSky reports that in conditions like the ones we're experiencing this year, the number could be higher, perhaps 90 or more. Either way, it will be a dazzling display.

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