The Perseids (pronounced /ˈpÉœrsiË.ɨdz/) is the name of a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids are so-called because the point they appear to come from, called the radiant, lies in the constellation Perseus. The name derives in part from the word Perseides (ΠεÏσείδες), a term found in Greek mythology referring to the descendants of Perseus. The stream of debris is called the Perseid cloud and stretches along the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle.
You should check it out cause it's like old and stuff.
The Perseid meteor shower has been observed for about 2000 years, with the earliest information on this meteor shower coming from the Far East.
Watch it at dawn.
The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the peak in activity being between August 9 and 14, depending on the particular location of the stream. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour. They can be seen all across the sky, but because of the path of Swift-Tuttle's orbit, Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere. As with all meteor showers, the rate is greatest in the pre-dawn hours, since the side of the Earth nearest to turning into the sun scoops up more meteors as the Earth moves through space. In 2009, the estimated peak Zenithal Hourly Rate was 173, but fainter meteors were washed out by a waning gibbous moon.
Here is a map, and some other resources so you know in what direction to look.
[Image: http://blog.newsok.com/ofinterest/files/2009/08/perseid-meteor-shower-450a080207.jpg]
[Image: http://www.strudel.org.uk/blog/astro/images/20050804_perseids.jpg]
[Image: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0108/perseids97_rickjoe_lab.jpg]
[Image: http://www.astronomy.org/StarWatch/August/8-09-perseid-radiant.gif]
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/
How do I know the sky is dark enough to see meteors?
If you can see each star of the Little Dipper, your eyes have "dark adapted," and your chosen site is probably dark enough. Under these conditions, you will see plenty of meteors.
The exact direction depends on where you live, so just find Cassiopeia (it looks like a sideways "M") and look below it.