A non-technical overview of meteor showers in general, with a focus on the Perseids, including:
- when in the year they occur, each meteor show occurs a particular time
- what causes them, and why each shower only occurs at a given
- the best way to view them
- why they are given a particular name e.g. the Perseids appear to originate from the constellation Perseus.

For more information on this and similar topics check out the Explaining Science blog and YouTube channel www.explainingscience.org