The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids are so-called because the point from which they appear to come, called the radiant, lies in the constellation Perseus. The name derives in part from the word Perseides (Περσείδες), a term found in Greek mythology referring to the sons of Perseus.
The earliest information on this meteor shower is found in Chinese annals in 36 AD. However credit for recognising the shower’s annual appearance is given to Adolphe Quetelet who reported in 1835 that there was a shower emanating from the constellation Perseus.  Some Catholics refer to the Perseids as the “tears of St. Lawrence”, since 10 August is the date of that saint’s martyrdom.

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