
The stream of debris causing the meteor shower is called the Perseid cloud and stretches along the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle. The cloud consists of particles thrown out from the comet as it travels along it's 130 year long orbit, with much of the dust being about a thousand years old

The shower is visible from mid-July onwards each year, with the peak of activity generally being between August 9th to 14th, but sadly for my fellow Brazilians, it is mainly visible in the northern hemisphere due to the path of the Swift-Tuttle's orbit.
Yet another example of Mother Nature's beauty!