How to See the Perseids Meteor Shower in July and August

The Perseids meteor shower is among the most spectacular celestial events of the year and is now active until September 1, peaking on the night of August 12-13.

Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through streams of cosmic debris left behind by comets and, in some rare cases, asteroids. These events are characterized by numerous meteors streaking across the sky, appearing to originate from a single point known as the radiant.

Meteors, colloquially referred to as shooting stars, are the streaks of light we see in the sky when tiny fragments of space debris burn up in the Earth's atmosphere at high speed.

The debris that produces the Perseids originates from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 133 years and has a nucleus measuring 16 miles across.

The Perseids are popular because they consistently produce high rates of visible meteors, often dozens per hour in the best-case scenarios. The fact that this shower occurs in August also tends to mean relatively good viewing conditions for people observing the event from the Northern Hemisphere.

Normal rates seen from locations with clear skies and low levels of light pollution tend to range from 50 to 75 visible meters per hour around the time of the peak, according to the American Meteor Society.

But under ideal conditions, the rate can reach around 100 meteors per hour, Affelia Wibisono, an astronomer at London's Royal Observatory Greenwich, told Newsweek.

"This will depend on how clear and dark your sky is, as well as how much of the sky you can see," Wibisono said.

In addition, Perseid meteors tend to be bright and frequently leave long, persistent trains. There is also a high chance of seeing fireballs, which are very bright meteors.

When to See the Perseids

The Perseids became active on July 14, so it might be possible to spot a few meteors from the shower over the next several nights, but rates will remain low for now.

Observers can expect to see more and more meteors as we approach the peak of the shower—the period of maximum activity.

In 2023, the moon will be in its thin, waning crescent phase—only about 10 percent full—as the shower peaks. This means that light from our natural satellite will only minimally interfere with viewing efforts.

"For sure, the date of the peak is not to be missed," astronomer Gianluca Masi, who is with the Virtual Telescope Project, told Newsweek. "This year, on that day the moon will be only marginally visible at the very end of the night, so we will have very good observing conditions. The days around the maximum will be rewarding too."

If you would like to catch a glimpse of the Perseids, Wibisono recommends not focusing solely on the peak night.

"Although the peak is expected to occur overnight on August 12-13, bad weather on this night might spoil the show," Wibisono said. "It's always worth looking on any clear night in the week leading up to the peak. The Perseids tend to build up gradually towards the peak and die off quickly afterwards, so definitely try to catch them sooner rather than later."

The best time to see the shower on any particular night is from around midnight to sunrise because this is when the radiant of the Perseids is at its highest point in the sky. (You may still be able to see some meteors in the early evening after the sun sets.)

The radiant of the Perseids is located in the constellation Perseus, which is named after a heroic figure from Greek mythology who was the son of Zeus and the mortal Danaë.

How to View the Meteor Shower

Wibisono has some tips for viewing the meteor shower:

• Check the weather forecast before you go out. The clearer the sky, the more meteors you can see.
• Go to a safe and dark area and get as far away from city lights as you can. If you cannot leave your local area, even turning your back away from street lamps will help.
• Find an open area so you can see as much of the sky and horizon as you can. The meteors can be seen anywhere in the sky.
• Look for meteors in the night or in the very early hours after midnight when the sky will be at its darkest and the radiant is at its highest point in the sky.
• Make sure your eyes are adapted to the dark by not looking at any bright sources of light—including your phone—for at least 20 minutes. This will help you spot the fainter meteors.
• The longer you stay out, the more meteors you will be able to see.