The annual Perseid meteor shower begins on 17 July and is forecast to run through at least 23 August, according to NASA and the American Meteor Society. The display is normally the most prolific of the year, producing 50–100 meteors an hour across the Northern Hemisphere and much of the tropics. This season’s peak is expected overnight on 12–13 August, but visibility will be hampered by an 84 percent-illuminated Sturgeon full moon that rises on 9 August and lingers in the sky during the height of the shower. The society estimates the moonlight could suppress meteor counts by roughly three-quarters, leaving viewers with only a few dozen bright streaks per hour at best. Astronomers recommend targeting darker windows before and after the peak—18–28 July or 16–26 August—when the moon is below the horizon during the pre-dawn hours. Observers should seek sites away from city lights, allow at least 30 minutes for their eyes to adjust and avoid smartphone screens that destroy night vision. The Perseids originate from debris shed by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, whose 133-year orbit last brought it near Earth in 1992. As the planet ploughs through the dust stream, particles ignite in the upper atmosphere, occasionally producing fireballs with lingering luminous trails. Two weaker showers—the Southern delta Aquariids and the alpha Capricornids—will overlap late in July, offering additional chances for summer skywatchers.