The Perseid meteor shower is approaching.

▲ Perseid meteor shower in a partly cloudy sky over Inyo National Forest in Bishop, California, in 2024. NASA photo

Latin Press

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, June 20, 2025, p. 6

Washington. The Perseid meteor shower is a spectacle eagerly awaited by thousands of people. It will run from July 17 to August 24, reaching its peak on August 12.

They will be visible anywhere in the sky, with the naked eye, in the Northern Hemisphere, but experts warn that in 2025 the Moon will be very bright at that stage, which may limit viewing conditions.

They point out that the glare of this star can significantly reduce the visibility of weaker meteors.

At their peak, the Perseids produce around 100 meteors per hour and are considered one of the most prolific shooting star streams, according to the astronomy website StarWalk.

Its trajectory extends through the constellation Perseus, hence its name. Within this constellation is a point, called the radiant, from which the meteors appear to emanate. The higher the radiant rises, the more stars will be visible.

The best years for observing this shooting star phenomenon also coincide with new moons or lunar phases that do not interfere with the second half of the night.

The primary body for the Perseids is the large periodic comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which, although it approaches Earth only once every 133 years, is possible to observe this meteor shower because the planet we live on crosses the comet's trail annually.

They are also popularly known as the Tears of Saint Lawrence, as they take place close to the date of the saint's day, August 10.