A shooting star in the Perseid meteor shower is seen in the upper right of this photo taken in Ishikari, Hokkaido, on Aug. 13, 2021. Ishikari Lighthouse is seen at the bottom of frame. (Mainichi/Taichi Kaizuka)

       ISHIKARI, Hokkaido -- Perseid meteor shower viewing in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido was at its peak from the night of Aug. 12 through the following morning, with 2021's conditions particularly favorable due to the absence of moonlight for the first time in eight years.

       As clouds disappeared above the seashore of the Hokkaido city of Ishikari late at night, the sky was adorned with twinkling lights.

       The Perseid meteor shower is one of the three major meteor showers, and occurs every August when the Earth travels through the comet Swift-Tuttle's dust belt. The comet approaches the sun on a cycle of about 130 years.

       (Japanese original by Taichi Kaizuka, Hokkaido Photo Group)

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