The annual Perseids meteor shower is set to reach its peak on Aug. 12-13 with as many as 50 meteors per hour, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its August astronomical diary.

"If the sky permits, the famous Perseids meteor shower will be observed with its peak in the late evening and early morning hours on Aug. 12-13 with at least 50 or more meteors observed during peak time," it said.

Meteors are easiest to observe if there is no moonlight and light pollution and a clear sky.

Unfortunately, the waxing gibbous moon could interfere with the visibility of fainter meteors, PAGASA pointed out.

The Perseids meteor shower radiates out from the constellation Perseus, which is located on the eastern horizon during August.

PAGASA said August is one of the most popular times of the year to observe meteor showers due to the high hourly rate and bright meteors.

Moreover, it noted that well-known constellations such as Leo, Ursa Major, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, and Sagittarius are most prominent during the month.

The constellation of Leo, the Lion can be observed at about 20 degrees from the northwestern horizon after sunset.

In this constellation, an asterism is known as the inverted Question Mark, or sometimes known as the scythe, which can be figured out, that represents the head of a lion.

Looking towards the northern direction, the constellations of Ursa Major, the Great Polar Bear, and Ursa Minor, the Small Bear, can be located.

Another famous asterism that can be found along with the constellation of Ursa Major, is the well-known Big Dipper, sometimes called the ladle or the plough.

Navigators at night utilize the Big Dipper to locate the North Star or Polaris.

By extending an imaginary line from the two stars Merak to Dubhe which are located on the tip of the ladle and then measuring five times their distance will point to the position of the North Star.