The 2006 Perseid meteor shower is going to be a dud. Oh, Earth will pass through the Perseid meteoroid stream, as usual. And meteors will flit across the sky. But when the shower peaks on August 12th and 13th, the glare of the 87%-full Moon will overwhelm most Perseids, making them impossible to see.
That sounds like the end of the story — but don’t stop reading.
You might see some Perseids, after all. The trick is to look before the Moon rises. Plan your meteor watch for 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, August 12. The Moon won’t be up yet and, in the darkness just after sunset, a special kind of meteor may appear: the Perseid Earthgrazer.
(Note: Because the Perseid peak is broad, Friday evening, August 11, may be as good or better than Saturday evening, August 12. If you’re ambitious, try both nights between 8:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time.)
Source: NASA, which has more.