Look To The Sky Tuesday Night For The Perseid Meteor Shower
TAMPA (CBSMiami/CNN) - Considered the Northern Hemisphere's most popular meteor shower of the year, the Perseid meteor shower will peak Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Once evening falls, expect to see a meteor, or a "shooting star," streak across the sky every few minutes. Hopefully, the sky will be clear for the best viewing.
If you can't get out to have a look, you may still be able to catch a glimpse of meteors over the next two nights.
Perseid meteors are caused by dust and debris left behind from the tail of the comet Swift-Tuttle.
The comet Swift-Tuttle orbits the sun once every 133 years, so every August, the Earth passes through the comet's debris field. The ice and dust, accumulating over a thousand years, burn up in our atmosphere to create the meteor shower. The Perseids showcase more bright meteors than any other annual meteor shower.
The meteors themselves are traveling at 132,000 miles per hour, which creates their vivid streaks of light. They can reach between 3,000 and 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit during this shower.
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