The Perseid Meteor Shower is already under way, with peak viewing on the 12th and 13th of August. During the peak you can see one or two a minute, although even this far outside of the peak there will be a handful per hour, with the frequency going up steadily the closer we get. Meteor showers are named after the constellation they appear to be coming from, but the Perseids appear to be coming from a large chunk of the sky. Generally speaking if you face the Big Dipper or Plow from late in the evening until just before dawn you should have an excellent show. For more detailed information and instructions see the Meteor Watch web site linked at the start of this article.
