Staragazers Prepare for Best Meteor Shower of the Year

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Apparently, this year’s super flower blood moon, ring of fire solar eclipse and strawberry supermoon were only warm-up acts. Astronomers say the biggest celestial event of the year is right around the corner.

The Perseids meteor shower is expected to start lighting up the sky on Wednesday and peak in mid-August, according to NASA. With clear skies, as many as 100 meteors will be visible every hour, reps for the space agency say.

Perseid meteors, which are actually particles of comets and asteroids, leave long trails of colorful light behind them as they streak across the sky, NASA reports. However, they don’t last long — the average Perseid meteor travels at 37 miles per second, scientists say.