Glimpsing a meteor streaking across the night sky — one of the most visually striking natural shows on Earth — always brings a thrill. Bits of space debris are constantly bombarding the atmosphere, but shooting stars are most visible during periodic showers, when dozens to hundreds of meteors burn up per hour. Individual shower events take their names from the constellations from which they seem to emerge. From the summertime fireworks of August’s Perseids to the wintertime dazzle of December’s Geminids, meteor showers are best viewed far from city lights with patient eyes trained on clear, dark skies.
