HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – The Perseid meteor shower, one of the year's best, will peak overnight Tuesday. At 30-40 meteors per hour, seeing them is as easy as meteors get, but here are five things to know from Dr. Bill Cooke, NASA meteor expert at Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center:

1. What am I actually looking at?

These meteors are icy, dusty remnants of the comet Swift Tuttle. The comet circles the sun in a regular orbit, and Earth passes through its debris cloud every August. Perseid meteors are moving fast – 132,000 miles per hour – and they melt long before they hit the Earth. They're called Perseids because they seem to radiate from the constellation Perseus.

2. When will be the best time to see them?

The meteors will be visible anytime after dark into the pre-dawn hours Wednesday morning. The best time is Wednesday around 3 a.m.

3. Where should I watch the meteor shower?

Prime viewing sites will be beaches, fields, lakeshores, mountaintops, back yards, basically anywhere without streetlights.

4. How should I focus my eyes to see the meteors?

When you find a spot, don't look at the moon and give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. That's about it, although watching with a friend or family on a quilt or blanket is highly recommended.

5. Who can I ask questions to about the meteor shower?

Cooke and his team of meteor scientists will take your Perseid questions via live chat here Tuesday starting at 10 p.m. CDT. A Ustream view of the skies over Marshall Space Flight Center will be embedded on the web page at 8:30 p.m. CDT.