Meteor Storm Tonight!

The Perseid meteor shower tonight, which peaks during the early hours of Friday morning, is widely regarded as perhaps the most consistently spectacular meteor shower of the year.

If you live under very dark skies or can travel beyond the sky glow of urban America, you can expect to see up to 75 meteors an hour, astronomers suggest. If you’re hardy enough to be on a mountaintop, the number could reach 108 meteors an hour.

The best viewing locations will be in the Northern Hemisphere, with Southern Hemisphere sky-watchers limited to perhaps 30 or 40 events an hour at the shower’s peak.