PERSEIDS WILL BE STARRING IN NIGHT SKY.

Byline: PATRICK ST. MICHEL

Staff Writer

To cap off this weekend with a great, free show, simply go outside -- and look up.

The annual Perseids meteor shower will illuminate the sky -- in all directions -- beginning tonight. It will reach its peak about 9 p.m. Sunday, with one or two meteors appearing every minute.

Named after the constellation Perseus, the shower originates from the comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet's tail, a collection of debris that has fallen off the actual comet, intersects Earth's atmosphere.

Tiny bits of dust from the comet's tail hit the atmosphere traveling at extremely high speeds, causing streaks of light.

Ed Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory, said the Perseid shower is one of the most reliable and regular meteor showers and this year's version will be better than usual.

"The meteors will be much easier to see this year," he said. "This is a good year for Perseid."

David Sovereign, president of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, said the shower may be more visible than in previous years, but he recommended people still head out of the city to watch the cosmic show.

"Perseids will be more visible outside of the city," he said. "Los Angeles has too much light pollution to see the meteors."

Krupp also supported an escape from the city.

"Go someplace dark, clear and high," he said. "Perseid isn't like a fireworks show, there aren't big blasts of light."

Griffith Observatory won't have any special viewings of Perseids, nor will it be open, Krupp said, because they want people to truly appreciate the interstellar display.

"The observatory encourages people to get out of town, and we can't provide a good view," he said. "We want people to truly experience the joy of seeing a meteor shower."