Space Weather News for August 8, 2002<br />http://www.spaceweather.com<br /><br />METEOR SHOWER: The peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower is still days<br />away, but sky watchers are already seeing plenty of shooting stars. In<br />recent days, 15 to 25 meteors per hour have streaked across the northern<br />sky during the hours just before dawn. Activity should intensify--perhaps<br />impressively so--on August 12th and 13th when the shower peaks.<br /><br />VENUS AND THE MOON: The planet Venus is so bright this week you can see it<br />before nightfall. On Sunday evening, August 11th, the slender crescent<br />Moon will glide by Venus. Together the pair will be truly eye-catching.<br /><br />Visit spaceweather.com for more information about these events, including<br />a movie of two bright Perseid meteors recorded on August 8th.