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1. The annual Perseid meteor shower will light up the sky this week, which is considered the greatest shower of the year for having more meteors than any other.
2. These meteors will be visible from August 11 to 14, particularly in the early morning hours of Aug. 13.
>> PHOTOS: Perseid meteor shower brightens the night sky
3. According to StormCenter7's Chief Meteorologist Eric Elwell, watchers could see up to 50 meteors an hour during this peak.
4. This year’s shower is expected to be especially spectacular, because its peak occurs during a new moon, creating the darkest sky possible.
>> RELATED: Perseid meteor shower: See the meteors in the sky and online
5. The later into the week, the more meteors will be visible during night hours rather than morning.
6. Meteor showers occur on certain days of the year, as the Earth passes through fields of particles during orbit. The particles enter our planet's atmosphere at around 37 miles per second, or 133,200 miles per hour.
7. Although this week’s shower will be especially visible, the best place to watch a meteor shower is as far away from artificial lights as possible.
8. “Perseid” comes from Greek mythology, meaning the “son of Perseus.” Perseus is the name of a constellation that this meteor shower appears to fall from.
9. A second shower, called the Delta Aquarid meteor shower, will also be going on this week. This event continues from July 12 to August 23 every year.
10. The Delta Aquarid shower peaked at the end of July, but was not very visible due to the blue moon that occurred at that time.
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