Perseid Meteor Shower, which is named after the Perseus constellation, is considered one of the world’s most popular meteor showers. The celestial event takes place every year during the month of July and August.

It was rumored that this year’s astronomical event will be the “brightest shower in human history.” But, the NASA has already refuted reports that claimed that meteor enthusiasts and skywatchers will be able to witness thousands of meteors per hour, reported Space.com.

According to Bill Cooke, meteor expert at NASA, the Perseids will outburst at the rate of about 150 per hour or so.

He reiterated the fact that the meteor shower never reaches storm levels that result in the outburst of thousands of meteors per hour. The normal outburst rate is between 80-100 meteors per hour to a few hundred per hour. So, stargazers shouldn’t expect anything record breaking this year.

Unfortunately, the meteor shower could be harder to see this year due to the bright Moon, which will be three-quarters full during the peak of the shower. The Perseid Meteor Shower 2017 is expected to reach its peak on August 12 and August 13.

What causes the shooting meteor shower every year?

The event take place every year when the Earth passes through the stream of debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.

The Swift-Tuttle comet has an orbit period of 133 years. When the celestial debris falls from the space and enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it burns and emits bright streaks of light that is visible from the ground.

How to watch the shooting stars?

The Northern hemisphere is undoubtedly the best place to spot the annual Perseid meteor shower.

Stargazers should head to a dark area, in the suburbs or countryside, where there is less pollution. The eyes take around 30 minutes to adjust to dark. So, it would be better to reach the viewing point about 45 minutes before. Notably, people won’t require a telescope or binoculars as they can see Perseids with the naked eye easily.

They just need to sit or lie on their back and focus on the sky patiently. The best time to spot the shooting meteors is around 2 or 3 am.

For those who will not be able to catch the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower 2017, they can access a live stream of the show offered by Slooh. The online observatory will host a live stream of the Perseids on Saturday, August 12, starting at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT).

Below you can watch a shot video released by NASA that guides on where, when & how to watch the astronomical event.
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