What is the Perseid Meteor Shower and why are we celebrating it in a doodle?

The Perseids are a spectacular meteor shower that happens every year in August. We've doodled them before, but we wanted to bring them back this year to encourage users to learn more about this fantastic celestial event.

What inspired the look and feel of your animation? It definitely has a more ambient, soothing quality compared to some of the quirkier doodles we've seen.

I was inspired by long drives I've taken and trips to national parks, as well as by the subject matter –space! One of my favorite road trip memories is driving up the Pacific Coast Highway near Big Sur and pulling over to observe the stars. The visual spectacle in front of you, combined with being "in the middle of nowhere," definitely evokes some type of feeling.