Best Night to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower
Listen to the story
Tonight is a great night to look at the sky. The Perseid meteor shower is happening now. Experts say this is the best night to see it this week.
A meteor shower happens when many small rocks from space fall into Earth's air. They burn up fast. This makes bright lines of light in the sky. People call them shooting stars.
The Perseids come back every year in August. They happen when Earth moves through dust left by a comet. A comet is a big ball of ice and rock that flies through space.
This week is the peak of the shower. Peak means the time with the most meteors. You do not need special tools to watch. Just find a dark place with clear sky.
The news also talked about six planets lining up in the sky. This is called an alignment. It happens when planets appear in a line from Earth's view.
Both events are good times for people who love watching the sky. Many people go outside at night to see these special moments.
Vocabulary6 words
- Perseid
- a name for a group of shooting stars seen every August
- meteor shower
- many shooting stars seen in the sky at one time
- shooting stars
- bright lines of light made by small rocks burning in the sky
- comet
- a big ball of ice and rock moving through space
- peak
- the best or biggest moment of something
- alignment
- when things line up together in a row
Quiz
Answer key
1. Many small rocks burning in the sky 2. In August 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Tonight is a great night to look at the _____. The Perseid meteor shower is happening now.
A meteor shower happens when many small _____ from space fall into Earth's air.
This makes bright lines of _____ in the sky. People call them shooting stars.
The Perseids come back every year in _____.
They happen when Earth moves through dust left by a _____.
This week is the _____ of the shower.
You do not need special _____ to watch. Just find a dark place.
The news also talked about six _____ lining up in the sky.
This is called an _____.
Many people go outside at _____ to see these special moments.