What must our ancestors have thought when they saw meteors light up the night sky? Was it terrifying or an event of wonder? Thankfully, we now know that this celestial cascade is a harmless annual event. The Perseid meteor shower thrills stargazers from mid-July to late August and is due to peak today. The Perseids are caused by Earth passing through debris left behind by the Comet Swift-Tuttle. When the cosmic debris hits our atmosphere, it disintegrates in a colorful, fiery light display. It"s a good night to catch the Perseids if you can—the moon is projected to only be 10% illuminated, so the meteors should really stand out against the dark sky.
Perseid meteor shower over Oregon
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Honoring our veterans
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Chocolate Hills
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An opulent backdrop for a historic event
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Cherry blossoms spring to life
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Castle Square, Old Town, Warsaw, Poland
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A winter wonderland in Northeast China
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Lights, camera, Sundance
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International Kissing Day
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Old Fortress, Corfu, Greece
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Getting to the bottom of the underwater waterfall
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Global commerce in motion
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Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
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Saffron in bloom
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Nursing the world to health
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Celebrating National Dentist Day
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A red fox on the Swiss side of the Jura Mountain range
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20 years later
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It s not always sunny in Abu Simbel…
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This reef is nowhere near the sea…
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Glacier cave in Iceland
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Sweetheart Abbey, Scotland
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A whale of a hug
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Winter in the Wild West
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The parenting of a piping plover
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World Teachers Day
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It s Bermuda s big day
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National Bison Month
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World Space Week begins
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On a Healing Field for Veterans Day
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A dreamy start to the Year of the Pig