Don’t worry if you missed the Perseids meteor shower, here are the other times to catch it in 2024

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Missed the Perseids meteor shower over the weekend? Don’t worry. There are still other opportunities to catch shooting stars this summer.

The meteor shower, which started in July, is expected to last the rest of the month but peaked on 12 August.

According to NASA’s website, the sky show is considered the “best meteor shower of the year,” with as many as 100 meteors traveling per hour at 37 miles per second. Meteors, commonly known as shooting stars, are space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere.

When showers happen, many meteors will hit earth’s atmosphere over a short period of time. As they do, they leave a trail of light created by glowing, hot air.

The stars are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere in the early morning hours, but can be seen as early as 10pm.

Stargazers should move away from the cities for the best chance at catching great views of the meteor shower.

“Try to get to the darkest location you can,” NASA wrote on its website. “The darker it is where you are, the more meteors you will see streaking across the sky.”

Other tips for getting a great view of the show include regularly checking the weather forecast, finding a meteor shower party, bringing warm clothes and blankets.

While waiting for the stars to appear, meteor watchers should lie on their backs and stay off their phones to avoid the screen light affecting visibility. The meteors will be visible all over so it doesn’t matter what direction you lie down.

The Perseids occur annually, so it’s always possible to catch next year’s show if you’re missing this year’s.

The Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower began last month and will run through August 21. The meteors will be visible near the Aquarius constellation in the southern sky.

The Orionids, scheduled to be the next major meteor shower, won’t take place until late September and is due to peak in October. The meteors are known for their brightness and fullness, and considered to be one of the most stunning sky displays of the year.