The 2008 Perseid meteor shower peaks this week. It should be a great show for those that are fortunate to have clear skies. The meteor shower should average one meteor per minute at its peak in the early morning hours on Tuesday after the show begins on Monday night late in the evening.

Unfortunately, for youngsters who will be sleeping later, this year’s shower will be less than ideal during the earlier evening hours because of a late-setting waxing gibbous moon. The best time to view the Perseid meteor shower is around 1:30 a.m. and after.

The best way to view the shower is to get as far away from light pollution as possible. The darker it is on the ground the brighter everything is in the sky. No telescope is needed, just the naked eye. Just find a spot where you can lie on the ground and look up at the sky.

Happy sky gazing!