Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower in Mendota Heights on Saturday

Minnesota's summer sky is always beautiful, but the night holds a special treat for viewers this weekend.

The Perseid meteor shower, an annual show of celestial clockwork in early August, is set to peak Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Mendota Heights residents should be able to see the phenomenon even though our backyards are just across the river from Minneapolis and St. Paul.

In fact, the regularly hosts star-gazing nights with astronomers from the University of Minnesota, according to a Dodge spokesperson.

And while there are no events planned at Dodge or Fort Snelling State Park to view the Perseid meteor shower, a backyard or a field with a good view of the southeastern sky should do just fine.

The Perseids should come into view about 10-11 p.m., according to Minnesota Starwatch.

If you're looking to pick up a few astronomy skills beforehand, a Universe in the Park event is scheduled for Saturday night at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park just outside of Northfield. The session starts with a presentation at 8:30 p.m. followed by guided sky-observing for a few hours.

Those with a bit of patience willing to stay up late can catch the shooting meteors at the rate of 20-30 an hour, according to Space.com.

For the geeks among us, here's some trivia: The Perseids get their name from Perseus, the constellation from which they seem to emanate, but they can appear anywhere in the sky. Their only connection with Perseus is that, if you trace their path backward across the sky, eventually you get to Perseus.

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