Up to 75 “shooting stars” may be visible per hour as the Perseid meteor shower peaks on Sunday and Monday (Aug. 11 and Aug. 12). The annual shower is linked to debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle.
The Perseids are one of the most prolific annual meteor showers, bringing up to 75 “shooting stars” per hour to the sky Sunday night and early Monday (Aug. 11 to Aug. 12).
Although bright meteors are expected, the display can be affected by strong moonlight. But this year, the moon will set just as strong activity begins to occur from the Perseids, according to the American Meteor Society.
The best time to look will be after 1 a.m. local time on Monday (Aug. 12).
Shooting stars are caused by meteoroids entering Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizing, releasing energy visible as streaks of light in the night sky.
The Perseids move at a swift speed, and there are typically between 50 and 75 visible each hour during the peak night.
This year, the moon will set just after midnight, allowing for clear views of the shooting stars. A clear, dark sky is required to see the meteors.
The visibility of shooting stars depends on the moon’s phases. Luckily, this year a half-illuminated moon will set about an hour after midnight across the Northern Hemisphere, meaning no strong moonlight will interfere with the peak of the Perseids.
The Perseid meteor shower is active from July 14 to September 1, and “shooting stars” can be seen every night.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/meteoroids/the-perseid-meteor-shower-is-about-to-peak-heres-when-to-see-the-most-shooting-stars