Perseid meteor shower to light up sky from August 11 to 13, NASA scientists say

If you're looking for a show, check out the sky this weekend.

Those in the northern hemisphere will have the opportunity to see the Perseid meteor shower between Aug. 11 and 13. The shower will peak on the night of August 12, according to the International Meteor Organization and The American Meteor Society.

The best times to watch are Friday night-Saturday morning, and Saturday night-Sunday morning.

The Perseids are associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle, which has been observed for the last 2,000 years.

According to NASA, the comet orbits the sun once every 133 years. The Earth tends to pass through cloud debris - composed of ice and dust - during the August month.

Dr. Bill Cooke, the head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, suggested in a previous blog to find a dark location with clear skies in the early morning hours in order to see the shower.

He also says to lay on your back, looking straight up and you should be able to see meteors anywhere in the sky.

To read more about the 2012 viewing, visit:
http://www.amsmeteors.org/2012/08/viewing-the-2012-perseid-meteor-shower/

To view chats and search for more on past Perseids meteor showers, check out Dr. Cooke's blog on NASA's website: http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/Watch%20the%20Skies/posts/post_1281630596623.html