Peoria, Ill. (WMBD) -- One of the most anticipated meteor showers of year will peak this week, and while our weather will be far from perfect, we should have some opportunities to view the Perseids on the night of August 12th for anyone who's willing to stay up late.

What are the Perseids?

The meteor shower occurs every year as earth passes through the tail debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Streaking across the sky at 17 miles per second the shooting stars appear to come from the constellation Perseus, which can be found in the northeast sky. The meteor shower has been known to produce 50-100 meteors an hour under ideal viewing conditions, though the expectation this year is far fewer.

When is the best time to view?

The best window to view the meteor shower is between 11 pm and 5 am

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