Every August, the skies above the Northern Hemisphere are peppered with little bits of space debris that create the Perseid meteor shower.

Perseid meteoroids (which is what they're called while in space) are debris from a comet called Swift-Tuttle. Most are the size of sand grains; a few are as big as peas or marbles.

This comet is classified as the largest object that makes repeated passes near earth. It is 6 miles in diameter, roughly the size of the object that wiped out the dinosaurs.

The Earth has already begun to pass the trail left behind Swift-Tuttle, starting July 17th, but unfortunately this is coinciding with a full moon. Even without any interfering moonlight you would only see a few per hour at best.

The real show begins on the second week of August.

At its peak around the nights of Aug. 11 and 12, this display can produce 50 to 100 fast, bright meteors per hour.

During these dates, the best time to watch will be after 1:30 a.m., which is the time that the moon sets.

All that is required is a comfortable chair and some patience. Enjoy!