(Image source: Ron Garan / NASA )

BY STEVEN SPARKMAN

ANCHOR CHRISTIAN BRYANT

It’s been a big year for skywatchers, but if the ring of fire eclipse and the transit of Venus weren’t enough for you, you still have the year’s best meteor shower to look forward to. The Weather Channel explains .

“Well, it is that time of the year for the Perseid meteor shower. And this should be quite a show. We’re talking about 100 shooting stars per hour radiating from the constellation Perseus.”

The Perseids are the left-behind dust of the comet Swift-Tuttle. Every year in mid-August, the Earth passes through the dust trail and the night sky becomes packed with meteors. But a writer for the Los Angeles Times says not to worry: these meteors aren’t big, just fast.

“Most of the observed meteors are sand-sized grains of dust, not large rocks. As they enter Earth's atmosphere at 134,000 mph, they compress air, creating a white-hot shock wave, which is visible from the ground.”

If you want to see some shooting stars, it couldn’t be simpler. An anchor for ITV tells how you can watch the show.

“It’s best overnight tonight, Saturday and Sunday night. The good thing is you don’t need any equipment to take part. You just need some clear skies, little bit of luck, probably some caffeine because obviously it’s happening overnight.”

Of course, there are things you can do to improve your odds of getting a good show. Leave the city to get away from light pollution, and avoid looking at the moon — or more likely your phone — so your eyes can adjust to the dark. A writer for Space.com says it can be well worth the effort.

“During your meteor watch you might catch sight of a few outstandingly bright meteors. You may even see a fireball that leaves a long enduring vapor trail lasting for many seconds, or a bolide, which is an exploding meteor whose flight across the sky ends with a silent, strobe-like flash capable of casting a shadow. Just seeing one of these kinds of meteors can make your whole night worthwhile.”

If you’re a true space junkie, you can even help NASA collect data.

The Meteor Counter app lets you keep track of how many meteors you see and what your sky conditions are. The data will be used by NASA scientists to help tweak their computer models.

If you can’t make it outside to see the meteors, NASA will have a livestream from one of their observatories. A meteor expert will even be on hand in the chatroom to answer any questions.