For those of us living on the north half of the planet, the annual Perseid meteor shower is the most comfortable display of celestial fireworks, the warm summer nights making for easy viewing. (December's Geminids have a higher average count-per-hour, but winter skygazing calls for a special kind of astronomical dedication.)
Meteor showers happen when the earth passes through the orbital path of a comet: When a comet approaches the relatively toasty regions of the solar system, where we live, the comet's icy core evaporates and erodes, literally leaving a trail of dust and gravel. When the earth intersects the comet's orbit, this cometary debris hits our atmosphere like so many bugs on a windshield, and we see "shooting stars" as the debris burns up from friction with the air. It's a pretty show.
Tonight's the night for the Perseids!
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/08/090810-perseid-meteor-shower.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=perseids
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