CGTN AmericaA nearly new moon means it’s a great night to watch the Perseid Meteor showers tonight – midnight to 3 a.m. eastern. The showers are pieces of the comet Swift-Tuttle that passes the sun every 133 years. The stars appear to “shoot” because they burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. View a gallery of the showers so far:
Photos: 2015 Perseid Meteor showers
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Stars seen as streaks from a long camera exposure are seen behind Arnotegui Hermitage, in Obanos, northern Spain, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015. Some Catholics refer to the Perseids as the “tears of Saint Lawrence”, since 10 August is the date of that saint’s martyrdom. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)
