Astronaut Ron Garan photographed this Perseid meteor on August 13, 2011 as the International Space Station passed over China. The bright star Arcturus in the constellation of Bootes is visible just above and left of the meteor, which was moving at 134,000 mph as it plunged into Earth’s atmosphere. Photo from NASA Meteor Watch Facebook.
Filipinos can watch 50 Perseids meteors per hour in Philippine skies as the famous meteor shower peaks this mid-August.

The celestial event, dubbed as the “best meteor shower of the year” by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Meteor Watch, is famed for its very fast and bright meteors, frequently leaving long “wakes” of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the famous Perseids meteor shower will be best observed with its peak in the late evening and early morning hours of August 12 to 13. On its peak nights, it may produce at least 50 meteors per hour.

The waxing gibbous Moon may interfere with the observations of fainter meteors, but you should still be able to see a few brighter ones, including the occasional “fireball.”

Should clear sky conditions prevail, stargazers are in for a spectacular sky show this month. August is also the most popular time of the year to observe meteor showers, PAGASA adds.

Meteors are easiest to observe without light pollution. The skies should be clear and moonless.

The Perseids meteor shower radiates out from the constellation Perseus, which is located on the eastern horizon during August.