‘Like a ball of fire’: Perseids meteor shower to peak this weekend

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Stargazers will be in for a treat this weekend as the best meteor shower of the year is expected to peak. The Perseids are named after the Greek hero Perseus because the meteor shower appears to come from the eponymous constellation. According to myth, Perseus slew the gorgon Medusa by cutting off her snake-covered head while viewing her reflection in his shield. While the meteors are active from mid-July, the best time to see them is this weekend with the Perseids most visible in the northern hemisphere. Derek Smale, the UK Space Agency’s programme manager for the ESA space safety...