What are Perseides?

The word Perseides is found in Greek mythology and refers to the descendants of Perseus - the name of a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. They are so called because they appear to come from the constellation Perseus. This shower is visible from mid-July each year, with peak activity between August 9 and 14, and is sometimes referred to as the “tears of St. Lawrence”, as August 10 is the saint’s martyrdom.

Greek mythology, Descendants of Perseus, Prolific meteor shower, Comet Swift-Tuttle, Tears of St Lawrence, Saint martyrdom