Perseid meteor shower set to begin: How to view

The Perseid meteor shower is almost here, offering skywatchers a view of what is considered the best meteor shower of the year.

The shower is expected to begin on July 17 and last until at least Aug. 23, with the peak expected to occur from Aug. 12-13.

The Perseids are known for fireballs that last longer than an average meteor and for leaving long wakes of color and light as they move through the atmosphere.

Meteor showers are caused by Earth passing through an area of space debris left behind by a comet. The debris disintegrates in the planet's atmosphere, resulting in colorful streaks of light.

The Perseids are created by debris left from the Swift-Tuttle comet, which was last in the inner solar system in 1992. The comet takes 133 years to orbit the sun, and astronomers first discovered it was the source of the Perseids in 1865.

The meteors appear to come from the constellation Perseus, hence the name, but they don't actually originate there.

With 50-100 meteors per hour, the Perseids offer a dramatic show conveniently timed to warm, summer nights that make for comfortable viewing.

The best time to see the Perseids is early in the morning before dawn, according to NASA, though they can sometimes be seen as early as 10 p.m.

Unfortunately for hopeful meteor watchers, the moon will be 84 percent full at the peak, so moonlight will make it harder to see the meteors.

Although there will be fewer meteors in the sky, the best bet for seeing the Perseids is likely to be between July 18-28, when moonlight is minimal. To get the best view, head to a place with minimal light pollution and look toward the constellation Perseus to see the show.