The Perseids, considered by astronomers to be the best meteor shower of the year, are about to begin.

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Its "swift and bright" meteors often leave long "wakes" of light and color behind as they streak through the Earth's atmosphere, leading to the best annual display of meteors, astronomers say.

The Perseids are also known for their fireballs, which are larger explosions of light and color that persist longer than an average meteor streak, according to NASA. Fireballs are brighter and originate from larger particles of cometary material.

NASA - PHOTO: A view of the 2023 Perseid meteor shower from the southernmost part of Sequoia National Forest, near Piute Peak. Debris from comet Swift-Tuttle creates the Perseids.

Under a dark sky, the Perseids can produce between 50 and 100 meteors per hour, according to NASA. And because they occur during the summer, it allows viewers warm nighttime weather to comfortably watch them.

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Where do the Perseids come from?

The large comet, with a nucleus of 16 miles, is estimated to be twice the size of the object hypothesized to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs, according to NASA. It was discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle and last visited the inner solar system in 1992.

Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images - PHOTO: A meteor is streaking across the sky during the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower in Isfahan province, southeast of Tehran, Iran, Aug. 13, 2024.

When comets come around the sun, the dust they emit forms a trail, which then manifests as fiery and colorful streaks in the sky. as the debris collides with Earth's atmosphere.

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How to watch the Perseid meteor shower

The Perseids can be viewed all over the night sky, but they are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere in the pre-dawn hours, according to NASA.

To find the meteor shower, look toward the constellation Perseus, where the radiant of the Perseids appear to originate from.

Ismail Sen/Anadolu via Getty Images - PHOTO: A long exposure photo shows stars illuminate the sky at Lake Hazar and Mount Hazarbaba during the Perseid meteor shower in Sivrice district of Elazig, Turkey, Aug. 14, 2024.

For best viewing, NASA advises spectators to lie flat on their back in a region away from light pollution. Meteors should be visible after about 30 minutes, when eyes adjust to the dark.