Star-gazers around the world are poised to catch the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower tonight. 

The Perseids, so named because they seem to come out of the constellation Perseus, are in fact 1,000-year-old material sloughed off from Comet Swift-Tuttle, through which whose orbital track the Earth passes every year. NASA predicts up to 100 shooting a stars an hour as comet dust and debris hits the planet's atmosphere at 124,000 mph. Burning up as they react with air, the particles ignite in a streak of light easily seen with the naked eye. 

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Heralded as the big mama of all meteor showers for its summertime occurrence and dazzling fireballs (Google even dedicated its daily doodle to the event), experts and amateurs alike will have to train their eyes a little harder thanks to this month's supermoon. Fourteen percent bigger and 30 percent brighter thanks to being 30,000 miles closer to the Earth, the Moon looms its largest just as the meteor shower is scheduled to begin.

Astronomers say sky-watchers will have nothing to fear from an intruding Moon. While Earth's closest celestial neighbor will lighten the cosmic backdrop, the Perseids tend to be so bright that the pyrotechnics will not be any less impressive. For photographers, it may even add to the experience. Supermoons are a regular lunar phenomenon, happening every 13 months and 18 days.

Experts do recommend, however, that country viewing away from the light pollution emanating from cities is best. The Perseid "peak of the peak" is expected to be two hours before dawn in the Northern Hemisphere.

And anybody worried about Comet Swift-Tuttle should be at ease. Last appearing in 1992, the comet will not be seen again until 2126, and Earth will be well-clear. 

For those under inclement weather, NASA.gov and Space.com both have live feeds tuned to the sky.

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