The peak of the display will be between 10 p.m. Friday and the pre-dawn hours Saturday. Viewers will be able to observe yellow and white flashes in the sky, produced by meteors burning up in the upper layers of earth’s atmosphere, explained Russian researcher Sergei Smirnov.
The meteor shower occurs every August as a result of debris left by the Swift-Tuttle comet, discovered in 1862. The comet leaves behind material that travels at speeds of 3,600 kilometers (2,200 miles) per minute, creating bright streaks of light.
Astronomers said that the burning debris, which appears to come from the constellation Perseus, sometimes comes in clumps and that several meteors a second may appear followed by a pause of up to several minutes. The meteor shower began around July 20 and will continue until August 20, according to Russian astronomer Nikolai Zheleznov.
Pollution and city lights seriously hinder the view of the shower. Mitzpeh Ramon, a town situated about 800 meters high in the Negev, will dim its lights Friday night to provide a better view. Astronomers said that next year's appearance will be difficult to see because a bright moon will flood the sky at the same time the shower reaches its peak.
The comet last appeared in 1992 during its 130-year trip around the sun. Meteor showers appear twice a year, the Perseids shower in August and the Leonids in November.
The meteor shower occurs every August as a result of debris left by the Swift-Tuttle comet, discovered in 1862. The comet leaves behind material that travels at speeds of 3,600 kilometers (2,200 miles) per minute, creating bright streaks of light.
Astronomers said that the burning debris, which appears to come from the constellation Perseus, sometimes comes in clumps and that several meteors a second may appear followed by a pause of up to several minutes. The meteor shower began around July 20 and will continue until August 20, according to Russian astronomer Nikolai Zheleznov.
Pollution and city lights seriously hinder the view of the shower. Mitzpeh Ramon, a town situated about 800 meters high in the Negev, will dim its lights Friday night to provide a better view. Astronomers said that next year's appearance will be difficult to see because a bright moon will flood the sky at the same time the shower reaches its peak.
The comet last appeared in 1992 during its 130-year trip around the sun. Meteor showers appear twice a year, the Perseids shower in August and the Leonids in November.