NASA issues Perseid meteor shower alert! Space agency asks Americans to flee cities

The world is set to receive the biggest meteor shower on Earth and NASA has suggested that Americans must leave the cities this weekend and travel to areas where they can witness the magic of the Perseid meteor shower.

The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak from the evening of Sunday and go on till Monday in which nearly 50 to 75 shooting stars will be visible every hour.

However, the US space agency has warned that the cosmic show might not be visible in its best form in the urban areas because of the light pollution.

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NASA has suggested the skygazers move outside between 12 am and 5:30 am to witness the meteors which is expected to appear in the northeastern sky.

The peak period in a meteor shower generally occurs when the sky is dark with no moon which forms the perfect backdrop for such a cosmic event.

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"Try to get to the darkest location you can. The darker it is where you are, the more meteors you will see streaking across the sky," wrote NASA, in its press release.

The Perseid meteor shower started on July 14 and will continue till September 1, however, the best viewing is this weekend.

NASA has given the annual meteor showers the nickname of the 'fireball champion' for creating the highest number of super bright meteors.

Here's the best way to watch Perseid meteor shower

For those wishing to watch the Perseid meteor shower, first one should find a place outside the city that has very little light pollution and a clear view of the sky.

To locate the meteor shower, the skygazers need to find the Perseus constellation which is the 24th largest constellation present in the sky. In the night sky, this constellation is located in the northern region.

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After finding the dark sky location all one needs to do is look up at the stars. The meteors will appear the brightest when it is the darkest period of the night sky that is during the pre-dawn hours after the moon has set and the sun has not risen.

The Perseids meteors will appear in the Northeast where the constellation Perseus will rise after the sky gets dark.

The sky-gazers should avoid looking at their phones or any sources of white light when watching meteors because they will disturb their night vision. People should avoid using a telescope or binoculars to locate the Perseids.

(With inputs from agencies)