Sky-watchers across the Northern Hemisphere will have a double spectacle this week as the annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak from late Tuesday into the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, 12–13 August. The shower, caused by Earth ploughing through debris left by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, normally produces 50 to 100 bright “shooting stars” an hour. This year’s display will be muted by an 84-percent-lit waning gibbous Moon that rises soon after dusk, with NASA estimating that most observers may see closer to 10 to 20 meteors an hour. The Perseids remain active until 23 August, but the best chances come during the darkest hours after midnight, when the radiant constellation Perseus climbs higher in the northeastern sky. Adding to the show, Venus and Jupiter—the two brightest planets—form a close conjunction in the eastern sky before sunrise on Tuesday, 12 August, passing within about one degree of each other and appearing as an unusually bright double star to the unaided eye. Astronomers advise finding a location far from urban lighting, giving eyes at least 30 minutes to adapt to darkness, and, when the Moon is up, positioning yourself in its shadow or looking away from its glare. No special equipment is required, though patience and clear weather will improve the odds of catching both meteors and the planetary pairing.