The Perseid meteor shower peaks early Thursday morning, which means you have the rest of Wednesday to brush up on iPhone camera knowledge in time to snap the perfect photo. 

You might think it's impossible to capture photos of a meteor shower without a fancy DSLR camera. But as it turns out, just by downloading a couple of apps and upping your iPhone's exposure, you can capture "star trails," or stunning photos of meteors, using just your iPhone.

Here's how to use your iPhone for night photography and meteor showers. 

1. Download the NightCap Pro app.

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To capture the best star trails, astrophotographer Eric Teske first recommends using a $1.99 iPhone app called NightCap Pro. Download the app before heading out for the meteor viewing tonight.

This is the first of two programs you will need to create a full fledged star trail. NightCap takes timed intervals of the sky, which you later layer together with a second piece of software.

2. Activate "Light Trails" mode within the app.

Light Trails can be activated by clicking the star in the lower left corner.

Then, go to "settings" under the gear symbol in the top left. iPhone Photography School also touts NightCap for it's stellar customization options. Make sure the following recommended settings are in place:

1) JPEG or HQ JPEG are selected for the photo type.
2) Timer is on, and set to three-second intervals.
3) Interval Programmer is on, with infinite photos, five second exposure, and fifteen second bursts.

3. Get into a prime viewing position.

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Light pollution can be a huge deterrent for stargazing. The further away from a large city, the better. You want to aim for the darkest, clearest skies possible. 

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