How to spot the spectacular Perseids meteor shower

Meteor showers dazzle the night sky, but the Perseids shower is special. It peaks on 12 August this year, and here’s how to enjoy it, says Abigail Beall

By Abigail Beall

EVERY so often, our planet’s path around the sun takes us through part of the solar system littered with the debris of a long-departed comet or asteroid. Dust and rocks come hurtling towards Earth. They hit our atmosphere, where they suddenly slow down and burn up, producing a beautiful display in our skies. This is a meteor shower.

Some of these showers produce more dazzling displays than others, and the Perseids shower, which peaks on 12 August this year, is one of the best. It is caused by a cloud of debris left in the wake of Comet Swift-Tuttle, …