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Perseid meteor shower expected to peak this week

The Perseid meteor shower began in July and is expected to peak at the end of the week.

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The Perseids are active from July 14 to Sept. 1 and are most active around Aug. 12 or 13, according to the American Meteor Society.

The meteors are fragments released from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, according to the AMS. Around 50 to 75 shower fragments are visible every hour.

To best see the meteors, you need to be in the Northern Hemisphere during the predawn hours of Aug. 11-13. According to NASA, the moon will be full when the 2022 Perseid show is at its peak, making it more difficult to see the meteors.

The Swift-Tuttle comet goes around the sun every 133 years. According to NASA, the comet is 16 miles across at its nucleus.

EarthSky.org advises those who wish to see the meteors to view the shower as it ramps up in early August before the moon gets too bright.