One of the year’s most prolific meteor showers will hit its peak on Thursday night and into Friday morning, but will Chicago-area residents be able to see the show?
The Perseid meteor shower, which occurs annually when the Earth moves through the trail left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet, can lead to 60 to 100 meteors per hour at its peak.
Stargazers will have to do a few things to give themselves the maximum opportunity to see it, however. Here’s what we know so far.
The Forecast
As of Wednesday afternoon, the forecast remains for mostly clear skies on Thursday night and into Friday morning, meaning that cloud cover likely won’t be a significant obstacle in seeing the meteor shower.
The Challenges
Even with clear skies, there will be at least one obstacle to contend with: the Sturgeon Supermoon. The final supermoon of 2022 will be in the sky on Thursday night and into Friday morning, and the bright light of the full moon could potentially scrub out some of the fainter streaks of light in the sky from the Perseids.
How to Overcome That Issue
Fortunately for those interested in spotting meteors, experts say there are a few things you can do to see them.
First, the peak of the show will occur after midnight, meaning that the “radiant point” of the meteor shower will be higher in the eastern horizon and the moon will be lower in the western horizon, providing for darker skies.
In addition to venturing out early Friday morning and looking to the east, stargazers should also try to get away from city lights as much as possible to see the show, according to experts.
Finally, officials at the Adler Planetarium are advising residents to give themselves plenty of time to adjust to the darkness. It can take the human eye 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness, and once it does, you’ll likely be able to see several meteors per minute.
More Information About the Perseids
The meteor shower is named the “Perseids” because it appears to originate from the same spot in the night sky as the constellation Perseus, according to NASA.
The shower is also unique from other annual events, including the Geminids and the Quadrantids, because it occurs during the summer, when it’s warmer and generally more pleasant to sit outside. Those latter showers take place during December and January, respectively.
Finally, the reason that astronomers recommend looking toward the east to see the most meteors is because it’s that side of the horizon that is on the leading edge of the Earth’s rotation on its axis, and therefore catches more meteoroids than the opposite side.
A supermoon rises behind the Washington Monument, Sunday, June 23, 2013, in Washington. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The next full moon is a marginal supermoon and is called the Sturgeon Moon. It’s also known as the Green Corn Moon, the Raksha Bandhan Festival Moon, Nikini Poya, the end of the Esala Perahera Festival, and the Tu B’Av Holiday Moon.
The next full moon will be Thursday night, August 11, 2022, appearing opposite of the Sun in Earth-based longitude at 9:36 p.m. EDT (6:36 p.m. PDT). This will be on Friday morning for the time zones east of Cape Verde time, which includes Coordinated Universal Time (
One Moon, Many Names
Some of the most widely known and used names for full moons come from the Maine Farmer’s Almanac, which began publishing Native American names for the full moons in the 1930s. According to this almanac, the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern United States called the full moon in August the Sturgeon Moon after the large fish that were more easily caught this time of year in the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water. This Moon was also known as the Green Corn Moon.
This full moon corresponds with the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan, celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. One of the traditions is for sisters of all ages to tie a rakhi (a cotton bracelet) around their brother’s wrist, receiving a gift from the brother in return, as a sign of the continuing bond between them. The term “Raksha Bandhan” translates as “the bond of protection, obligation, or care.”
In Sri Lanka, every full moon is a holiday. This full moon is called Nikini Poya, commemorating the first Buddhist council that occurred about 2,400 years ago, sometime around 400 BCE. In Kandy, Sri Lanka, this full moon corresponds with the end of the Esala Perahera festival, also known as the Festival of the Tooth. It is a two-week Buddhist festival held each year.
The Sturgeon Supermoon
Some publications consider this to be a supermoon, as it is the third closest full moon of the year. The term “supermoon” was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 as either a new or full moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90% of perigee, its closest approach to Earth. Since we can’t see new supermoons (except when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and causes an eclipse), what has caught the public’s attention are full supermoons, as these are the biggest and brightest full moons of the year. Since perigee varies with each orbit, different publications use different standards for deciding which full moons qualify. The full moons in June and July were closer.
The Moon and Calendars
In many traditional lunisolar and lunar calendars, full moons fall in the middle of the lunar months. This full moon is in the middle of the seventh month of the Chinese calendar and Av in the Hebrew calendar, corresponding with Tu B’Av, a holiday in modern Israel similar to Valentine’s Day. This full moon falls near the middle of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic year and one of the four sacred months during which warfare is forbidden.
For Science Fiction fans, a note on the author Theodore Sturgeon (in honor of the Sturgeon Moon). According to Wikipedia, Theodore Sturgeon wrote over 200 stories, mostly science fiction but some mystery and horror stories. For Star Trek fans, his scripts introduced important concepts into the series, although only two of his scripts were produced. His Star Trek scripts introduced “pon far,” the Vulcan hand symbol, the phrase “live long and prosper,” and (in a script that was not produced but that influenced later scripts) the “Prime Directive.”
As usual, the wearing of suitably celebratory celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the full moon. In addition, keep in touch with your siblings, avoid starting any wars, and consider reading some Theodore Sturgeon.
The full moon over Santa Clarita, California, on July 13, 2022. Credit: NASA/Kevin Gill
Here is a summary of celestial events between now and the full moon after next (with times and angles based on the location of
Evening Sky Highlights
On the evening of Thursday, August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, as evening twilight ends at 9:11 p.m. EDT, the rising Moon will appear 7 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon with the planet Saturn 6 degrees to the upper left of the Moon. The planet Mercury will have set about 4 minutes before but may be visible in the glow of dusk before it sets. The bright star appearing closest to directly overhead will be Vega at 76 degrees above the eastern horizon. Vega is the 5th brightest star in our night sky, about 25 light-years from Earth, twice the mass of, and 40 times brighter than our Sun.
As the lunar cycle progresses, Saturn and the background of stars will appear to shift westward each evening as Earth moves around the Sun. Saturn will be at its closest and brightest for the year on August 14, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise. Through much of August the planet Mercury will set just a few minutes before evening twilight ends but will be shifting to the left along the horizon farther from the Sun. This increases the chance Mercury will be visible in the glow of dusk. Toward the end of August Mercury will stop shifting away from the Sun, as it will reach its greatest separation from the Sun for this apparition on August 27, and will begin setting earlier each evening, making it harder to see. The waxing moon will pass near Mercury on August 29, the bright star Spica on August 30, the bright star Antares on September 3, and Saturn on September 7 and 8. Beginning around September 5, the bright planet
As the lunar cycle progresses, the background of stars along with Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will appear to shift westward each morning, although Mars will appear to shift more slowly. Venus will appear to shift the opposite way, closer to the eastern horizon each morning. The Perseid meteor shower will peak on the morning of Aug, 13, but the light of the nearly full moon will interfere with seeing these meteors this year (especially with the added light pollution in more urban environments). Saturn will be at its closest and brightest for the year on August 14, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise. The waning moon will pass near Saturn on August 12, the bright planet Jupiter on August 15, Mars and the Pleiades star cluster on Aug/ 19, the bright star Aldebaran on August 20, the bright star Pollux on August 23 and 24, and the bright planet Venus on August 25 and 26. August 26 will be the last morning that Saturn will be above the west-southwestern horizon (as morning twilight begins) and September 6 will be the last morning that Venus will be above the east-northeastern horizon.
By the morning of Saturday, September 10, the day of the full moon after next, as morning twilight begins at 5:46 a.m. EDT, only two of the five visible planets will appear in the sky, with Jupiter at 29 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon and Mars at 70 degrees above the south-southeastern horizon near the bright star Aldebaran. The full moon will be 10 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon below the planet Jupiter. The bright star appearing closest to overhead will be Capella at 73 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. Although we see Capella as a single star (the 6th brightest in our night sky), it is actually four stars (two pairs of stars orbiting each other). Capella is about 43 lightyears from us.
Detailed Daily Guide
Here is a more detailed, day-by-day listing of celestial events between now and the full Moon after next. The times and angles are based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., so some of these details may differ for your location.
August 6-7
Saturday morning, August 6, 2022, low on the east-northeastern horizon, the bright star Pollux will appear 6.5 degrees to the upper left of the bright planet, Venus. Venus will rise (at 4:32 a.m. EDT) about a half-hour before morning twilight begins and will be 6 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon as twilight begins at 5:09 a.m. Venus will be shifting closer to the horizon each morning, while Pollux is shifting higher, and this will be the morning when the pair will appear at their closest.
Saturday evening into early Sunday morning, August 6 to 7, 2022, the bright star Antares will appear about 6 degrees to the left of the waxing gibbous moon. As evening twilight ends at 9:18 p.m. EDT, the Moon will appear 26 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon. The Moon will set below the west-southwestern horizon about 4 hours later at 1:04 a.m. on Sunday.
August 10
Wednesday afternoon, August 10, 2022, at 1:10 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to Earth for this orbit.
August 11: The Full Sturgeon Supermoon
As mentioned above, the next full moon will be Thursday night, August 11, 2022, at 9:36 p.m. EDT. The Moon will appear full for about three days from Wednesday morning through Saturday morning.
The planet Saturn, nearly at its brightest for the year, will appear above the Moon Thursday night into Friday morning, August 11 to 12, 2022, shifting from the upper left to the upper right as the night progresses.
August 12-13: Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks
The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak late Friday night into early Saturday morning, August 12 to 13, 2022. Moonlight will make it difficult to see these meteors this year. If you do decide to look for these meteors, the best time should be after midnight on Saturday morning. You will need to be far from the city or other light sources in a place with no clouds or haze and have a clear view of a large expanse of sky. You will need to look northward away from the glow of the Moon.
August 14
Midday on Sunday, August 14, 2022, the planet Saturn will be opposite Earth from the Sun (called “opposition”), effectively a “full” Saturn. Saturn will be at its closest to Earth for the year, appearing at its brightest.
On Sunday night into Monday morning, August 14 to 15, 2022, Jupiter will appear to the left of the waning gibbous moon. The pair will rise above the eastern horizon at 9:58 p.m. EDT with Jupiter about 6 degrees to the left of the Moon. The Moon will reach its highest in the sky for the night Monday morning at 4:02 a.m. with Jupiter about 4 degrees above the Moon, and morning twilight will begin a little more than an hour later at 5:19 a.m.
August 17
On Wednesday morning, August 17, 2022, with binoculars or a small telescope. you might be able to see the Beehive star cluster to the left of Venus. Venus will appear about 4 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon as morning twilight begins at 5:21 a.m. EDT.
August 19
Friday morning, August 19, 2022, the half-full waning moon will appear near Mars and the Pleiades star cluster. Mars will be the last to rise above the east-northeastern horizon at 12:02 a.m. EDT, appearing below the Moon, with the Pleiades to the left of the Moon. The Moon will reach its last quarter at 12:36 a.m. By the time morning twilight begins at 5:23 a.m., the Moon will appear nearly between Mars and the Pleiades, with the Pleiades to the upper left and Mars to the lower right. Mars and the Pleiades will appear at their closest the next morning, Saturday, August 20, about 6 degrees apart.
August 20
Saturday morning, August 20, 2022, the bright star Aldebaran will appear about 8 degrees to the lower right of the waning crescent moon. The Moon will rise first, then Aldebaran will rise above the east-northeastern horizon at 12:52 a.m. EDT. Morning twilight will begin about 4.5 hours later at 5:24 a.m.
August 22
Monday, August 22, 2022, at 5:53 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be at apogee, its farthest from Earth for this orbit.
August 23
Tuesday morning, August 23, 2022, the bright star Pollux will appear about 8 degrees to the lower left of the waning crescent moon. The Moon will rise first, then Pollux will rise above the northeastern horizon at 3:03 a.m. EDT, more than two hours before morning twilight begins at 5:28 a.m.
August 24
By Wednesday morning, August 24, 2022, the Moon will appear below the bright star Pollux. When the Moon rises above the east-northeastern horizon at 3:29 a.m. EDT it will join Pollux. Morning twilight will begin about 2 hours later at 5:29 a.m.
August 25
Thursday morning, August 25, 2022, the bright planet Venus will appear about 8 degrees below the thin, waning crescent moon. The Moon will rise first, then Venus will join the Moon when it rises above the east-northeastern horizon at 5:12 a.m. EDT. Morning twilight will begin about 18 minutes later at 5:30 a.m.
August 26
Friday morning, August 26, 2022, you might be able to see the thin, waning crescent moon about 7 degrees to the lower left of Venus. The Moon will rise to join Venus above the east-northeastern horizon right around the time morning twilight begins at 5:31 a.m. EDT.
August 27: New Moon
Saturday morning, August 27, 2022, at 4:17 a.m. EDT, will be the new moon, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth.
Midday on Saturday will be when the planet Mercury reaches its greatest angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth for this apparition (called greatest elongation), appearing half-lit through a large enough telescope. Because the angle of the line between the Sun and Mercury and the horizon changes with the seasons, when Mercury and the Sun appear farthest apart as seen from Earth is not the same as when Mercury is easiest to spot in the glow of dusk shortly before evening twilight ends.
The day of or the day after the new moon marks the start of the new month for most lunar and lunisolar calendars. The eighth month of the Chinese calendar starts on Saturday, August 27, (at midnight in China’s time zone, which is 12 hours ahead of EDT). Sundown on Saturday, August 27, marks the start of Elul in the Hebrew calendar. Elul is a time of preparation for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Customs include granting and asking others for forgiveness as well as beginning or ending all letters with the wish that the recipient will have a good year. In the Islamic calendar, the months traditionally start with the first sighting of the waxing crescent moon. Many Muslim communities now follow the Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia, which uses astronomical calculations to start months in a more predictable way. Using this calendar, sundown on Saturday, August 27, will probably mark the beginning of Safar.
August 29
For about 20 minutes on Monday evening, August 29, 2022, you might be able to see Mercury below the thin, waxing crescent moon. Try looking on the western horizon more than 30 minutes after sunset after 8:13 p.m. EDT but before Mercury sets at 8:35 p.m. The glow of dusk will make it hard to see the pair without binoculars or a telescope, as Mercury will set about 8 minutes before evening twilight ends at 8:43 p.m.
August 30
On Tuesday evening, August 30, 2022, the bright star Spica will appear about 5 degrees to the left of the thin, waxing crescent moon. The Moon will appear 9 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:41 p.m. EDT, and Spica will set first about 40 minutes later at 9:23 p.m.
September 3
On Saturday afternoon, September 3, 2022, the Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its first quarter at 2:08 p.m. EDT (when we cannot see it from the Washington, D.C. area).
On Saturday evening, the bright star Antares will appear about 6 degrees to the lower right of the half moon. The Moon will be 22 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:35 p.m. EDT, and Antares will set first on the southwestern horizon less than 3 hours later at 11:14 p.m.
September 6-8
Late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, September 6 to 7, 2022, will be when Mars and the bright star Aldebaran appear near each other, a little more than 4 degrees apart. Mars will rise first, with Aldebaran rising above the east-northeastern horizon near midnight at 11:45 p.m. EDT. Mars will be 69 degrees above the southeastern horizon as morning twilight begins on Wednesday morning at 5:43 a.m.
Wednesday afternoon at 2:19 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to Earth for this orbit.
On Wednesday night into Thursday morning, September 7 to 8, 2022, Saturn will appear above the waxing gibbous Moon. Saturn will be about 9 degrees to the upper left of the Moon as evening twilight ends (Wednesday at 8:28 p.m. EDT). The Moon will reach its highest in the sky for the night less than 3 hours later at 11:13 p.m. By the time the Moon sets below the west-southwestern horizon about 5 hours later (Thursday at 4:14 a.m.), Saturn will appear about 6 degrees to the upper right of the Moon.
September 10: The Full Moon After Next
The full moon after next will be on Saturday morning, September 10, 2022, at 5:59 a.m. EDT. The Moon will appear full for about three days from Thursday evening to Sunday morning.
A supermoon rises behind the Washington Monument, Sunday, June 23, 2013, in Washington. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The next full moon is a marginal supermoon and is called the Sturgeon Moon. It’s also known as the Green Corn Moon, the Raksha Bandhan Festival Moon, Nikini Poya, the end of the Esala Perahera Festival, and the Tu B’Av Holiday Moon.
The next full moon will be Thursday night, August 11, 2022, appearing opposite of the Sun in Earth-based longitude at 9:36 p.m. EDT (6:36 p.m. PDT). This will be on Friday morning for the time zones east of Cape Verde time, which includes Coordinated Universal Time (
One Moon, Many Names
Some of the most widely known and used names for full moons come from the Maine Farmer’s Almanac, which began publishing Native American names for the full moons in the 1930s. According to this almanac, the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern United States called the full moon in August the Sturgeon Moon after the large fish that were more easily caught this time of year in the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water. This Moon was also known as the Green Corn Moon.
This full moon corresponds with the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan, celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. One of the traditions is for sisters of all ages to tie a rakhi (a cotton bracelet) around their brother’s wrist, receiving a gift from the brother in return, as a sign of the continuing bond between them. The term “Raksha Bandhan” translates as “the bond of protection, obligation, or care.”
In Sri Lanka, every full moon is a holiday. This full moon is called Nikini Poya, commemorating the first Buddhist council that occurred about 2,400 years ago, sometime around 400 BCE. In Kandy, Sri Lanka, this full moon corresponds with the end of the Esala Perahera festival, also known as the Festival of the Tooth. It is a two-week Buddhist festival held each year.
The Sturgeon Supermoon
Some publications consider this to be a supermoon, as it is the third closest full moon of the year. The term “supermoon” was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 as either a new or full moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90% of perigee, its closest approach to Earth. Since we can’t see new supermoons (except when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and causes an eclipse), what has caught the public’s attention are full supermoons, as these are the biggest and brightest full moons of the year. Since perigee varies with each orbit, different publications use different standards for deciding which full moons qualify. The full moons in June and July were closer.
The Moon and Calendars
In many traditional lunisolar and lunar calendars, full moons fall in the middle of the lunar months. This full moon is in the middle of the seventh month of the Chinese calendar and Av in the Hebrew calendar, corresponding with Tu B’Av, a holiday in modern Israel similar to Valentine’s Day. This full moon falls near the middle of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic year and one of the four sacred months during which warfare is forbidden.
For Science Fiction fans, a note on the author Theodore Sturgeon (in honor of the Sturgeon Moon). According to Wikipedia, Theodore Sturgeon wrote over 200 stories, mostly science fiction but some mystery and horror stories. For Star Trek fans, his scripts introduced important concepts into the series, although only two of his scripts were produced. His Star Trek scripts introduced “pon far,” the Vulcan hand symbol, the phrase “live long and prosper,” and (in a script that was not produced but that influenced later scripts) the “Prime Directive.”
As usual, the wearing of suitably celebratory celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the full moon. In addition, keep in touch with your siblings, avoid starting any wars, and consider reading some Theodore Sturgeon.
The full moon over Santa Clarita, California, on July 13, 2022. Credit: NASA/Kevin Gill
Here is a summary of celestial events between now and the full moon after next (with times and angles based on the location of
Evening Sky Highlights
On the evening of Thursday, August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, as evening twilight ends at 9:11 p.m. EDT, the rising Moon will appear 7 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon with the planet Saturn 6 degrees to the upper left of the Moon. The planet Mercury will have set about 4 minutes before but may be visible in the glow of dusk before it sets. The bright star appearing closest to directly overhead will be Vega at 76 degrees above the eastern horizon. Vega is the 5th brightest star in our night sky, about 25 light-years from Earth, twice the mass of, and 40 times brighter than our Sun.
As the lunar cycle progresses, Saturn and the background of stars will appear to shift westward each evening as Earth moves around the Sun. Saturn will be at its closest and brightest for the year on August 14, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise. Through much of August the planet Mercury will set just a few minutes before evening twilight ends but will be shifting to the left along the horizon farther from the Sun. This increases the chance Mercury will be visible in the glow of dusk. Toward the end of August Mercury will stop shifting away from the Sun, as it will reach its greatest separation from the Sun for this apparition on August 27, and will begin setting earlier each evening, making it harder to see. The waxing moon will pass near Mercury on August 29, the bright star Spica on August 30, the bright star Antares on September 3, and Saturn on September 7 and 8. Beginning around September 5, the bright planet
As the lunar cycle progresses, the background of stars along with Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will appear to shift westward each morning, although Mars will appear to shift more slowly. Venus will appear to shift the opposite way, closer to the eastern horizon each morning. The Perseid meteor shower will peak on the morning of Aug, 13, but the light of the nearly full moon will interfere with seeing these meteors this year (especially with the added light pollution in more urban environments). Saturn will be at its closest and brightest for the year on August 14, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise. The waning moon will pass near Saturn on August 12, the bright planet Jupiter on August 15, Mars and the Pleiades star cluster on Aug/ 19, the bright star Aldebaran on August 20, the bright star Pollux on August 23 and 24, and the bright planet Venus on August 25 and 26. August 26 will be the last morning that Saturn will be above the west-southwestern horizon (as morning twilight begins) and September 6 will be the last morning that Venus will be above the east-northeastern horizon.
By the morning of Saturday, September 10, the day of the full moon after next, as morning twilight begins at 5:46 a.m. EDT, only two of the five visible planets will appear in the sky, with Jupiter at 29 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon and Mars at 70 degrees above the south-southeastern horizon near the bright star Aldebaran. The full moon will be 10 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon below the planet Jupiter. The bright star appearing closest to overhead will be Capella at 73 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. Although we see Capella as a single star (the 6th brightest in our night sky), it is actually four stars (two pairs of stars orbiting each other). Capella is about 43 lightyears from us.
Detailed Daily Guide
Here is a more detailed, day-by-day listing of celestial events between now and the full Moon after next. The times and angles are based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., so some of these details may differ for your location.
August 6-7
Saturday morning, August 6, 2022, low on the east-northeastern horizon, the bright star Pollux will appear 6.5 degrees to the upper left of the bright planet, Venus. Venus will rise (at 4:32 a.m. EDT) about a half-hour before morning twilight begins and will be 6 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon as twilight begins at 5:09 a.m. Venus will be shifting closer to the horizon each morning, while Pollux is shifting higher, and this will be the morning when the pair will appear at their closest.
Saturday evening into early Sunday morning, August 6 to 7, 2022, the bright star Antares will appear about 6 degrees to the left of the waxing gibbous moon. As evening twilight ends at 9:18 p.m. EDT, the Moon will appear 26 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon. The Moon will set below the west-southwestern horizon about 4 hours later at 1:04 a.m. on Sunday.
August 10
Wednesday afternoon, August 10, 2022, at 1:10 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to Earth for this orbit.
August 11: The Full Sturgeon Supermoon
As mentioned above, the next full moon will be Thursday night, August 11, 2022, at 9:36 p.m. EDT. The Moon will appear full for about three days from Wednesday morning through Saturday morning.
The planet Saturn, nearly at its brightest for the year, will appear above the Moon Thursday night into Friday morning, August 11 to 12, 2022, shifting from the upper left to the upper right as the night progresses.
August 12-13: Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks
The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak late Friday night into early Saturday morning, August 12 to 13, 2022. Moonlight will make it difficult to see these meteors this year. If you do decide to look for these meteors, the best time should be after midnight on Saturday morning. You will need to be far from the city or other light sources in a place with no clouds or haze and have a clear view of a large expanse of sky. You will need to look northward away from the glow of the Moon.
August 14
Midday on Sunday, August 14, 2022, the planet Saturn will be opposite Earth from the Sun (called “opposition”), effectively a “full” Saturn. Saturn will be at its closest to Earth for the year, appearing at its brightest.
On Sunday night into Monday morning, August 14 to 15, 2022, Jupiter will appear to the left of the waning gibbous moon. The pair will rise above the eastern horizon at 9:58 p.m. EDT with Jupiter about 6 degrees to the left of the Moon. The Moon will reach its highest in the sky for the night Monday morning at 4:02 a.m. with Jupiter about 4 degrees above the Moon, and morning twilight will begin a little more than an hour later at 5:19 a.m.
August 17
On Wednesday morning, August 17, 2022, with binoculars or a small telescope. you might be able to see the Beehive star cluster to the left of Venus. Venus will appear about 4 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon as morning twilight begins at 5:21 a.m. EDT.
August 19
Friday morning, August 19, 2022, the half-full waning moon will appear near Mars and the Pleiades star cluster. Mars will be the last to rise above the east-northeastern horizon at 12:02 a.m. EDT, appearing below the Moon, with the Pleiades to the left of the Moon. The Moon will reach its last quarter at 12:36 a.m. By the time morning twilight begins at 5:23 a.m., the Moon will appear nearly between Mars and the Pleiades, with the Pleiades to the upper left and Mars to the lower right. Mars and the Pleiades will appear at their closest the next morning, Saturday, August 20, about 6 degrees apart.
August 20
Saturday morning, August 20, 2022, the bright star Aldebaran will appear about 8 degrees to the lower right of the waning crescent moon. The Moon will rise first, then Aldebaran will rise above the east-northeastern horizon at 12:52 a.m. EDT. Morning twilight will begin about 4.5 hours later at 5:24 a.m.
August 22
Monday, August 22, 2022, at 5:53 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be at apogee, its farthest from Earth for this orbit.
August 23
Tuesday morning, August 23, 2022, the bright star Pollux will appear about 8 degrees to the lower left of the waning crescent moon. The Moon will rise first, then Pollux will rise above the northeastern horizon at 3:03 a.m. EDT, more than two hours before morning twilight begins at 5:28 a.m.
August 24
By Wednesday morning, August 24, 2022, the Moon will appear below the bright star Pollux. When the Moon rises above the east-northeastern horizon at 3:29 a.m. EDT it will join Pollux. Morning twilight will begin about 2 hours later at 5:29 a.m.
August 25
Thursday morning, August 25, 2022, the bright planet Venus will appear about 8 degrees below the thin, waning crescent moon. The Moon will rise first, then Venus will join the Moon when it rises above the east-northeastern horizon at 5:12 a.m. EDT. Morning twilight will begin about 18 minutes later at 5:30 a.m.
August 26
Friday morning, August 26, 2022, you might be able to see the thin, waning crescent moon about 7 degrees to the lower left of Venus. The Moon will rise to join Venus above the east-northeastern horizon right around the time morning twilight begins at 5:31 a.m. EDT.
August 27: New Moon
Saturday morning, August 27, 2022, at 4:17 a.m. EDT, will be the new moon, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth.
Midday on Saturday will be when the planet Mercury reaches its greatest angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth for this apparition (called greatest elongation), appearing half-lit through a large enough telescope. Because the angle of the line between the Sun and Mercury and the horizon changes with the seasons, when Mercury and the Sun appear farthest apart as seen from Earth is not the same as when Mercury is easiest to spot in the glow of dusk shortly before evening twilight ends.
The day of or the day after the new moon marks the start of the new month for most lunar and lunisolar calendars. The eighth month of the Chinese calendar starts on Saturday, August 27, (at midnight in China’s time zone, which is 12 hours ahead of EDT). Sundown on Saturday, August 27, marks the start of Elul in the Hebrew calendar. Elul is a time of preparation for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Customs include granting and asking others for forgiveness as well as beginning or ending all letters with the wish that the recipient will have a good year. In the Islamic calendar, the months traditionally start with the first sighting of the waxing crescent moon. Many Muslim communities now follow the Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia, which uses astronomical calculations to start months in a more predictable way. Using this calendar, sundown on Saturday, August 27, will probably mark the beginning of Safar.
August 29
For about 20 minutes on Monday evening, August 29, 2022, you might be able to see Mercury below the thin, waxing crescent moon. Try looking on the western horizon more than 30 minutes after sunset after 8:13 p.m. EDT but before Mercury sets at 8:35 p.m. The glow of dusk will make it hard to see the pair without binoculars or a telescope, as Mercury will set about 8 minutes before evening twilight ends at 8:43 p.m.
August 30
On Tuesday evening, August 30, 2022, the bright star Spica will appear about 5 degrees to the left of the thin, waxing crescent moon. The Moon will appear 9 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:41 p.m. EDT, and Spica will set first about 40 minutes later at 9:23 p.m.
September 3
On Saturday afternoon, September 3, 2022, the Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its first quarter at 2:08 p.m. EDT (when we cannot see it from the Washington, D.C. area).
On Saturday evening, the bright star Antares will appear about 6 degrees to the lower right of the half moon. The Moon will be 22 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:35 p.m. EDT, and Antares will set first on the southwestern horizon less than 3 hours later at 11:14 p.m.
September 6-8
Late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, September 6 to 7, 2022, will be when Mars and the bright star Aldebaran appear near each other, a little more than 4 degrees apart. Mars will rise first, with Aldebaran rising above the east-northeastern horizon near midnight at 11:45 p.m. EDT. Mars will be 69 degrees above the southeastern horizon as morning twilight begins on Wednesday morning at 5:43 a.m.
Wednesday afternoon at 2:19 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to Earth for this orbit.
On Wednesday night into Thursday morning, September 7 to 8, 2022, Saturn will appear above the waxing gibbous Moon. Saturn will be about 9 degrees to the upper left of the Moon as evening twilight ends (Wednesday at 8:28 p.m. EDT). The Moon will reach its highest in the sky for the night less than 3 hours later at 11:13 p.m. By the time the Moon sets below the west-southwestern horizon about 5 hours later (Thursday at 4:14 a.m.), Saturn will appear about 6 degrees to the upper right of the Moon.
September 10: The Full Moon After Next
The full moon after next will be on Saturday morning, September 10, 2022, at 5:59 a.m. EDT. The Moon will appear full for about three days from Thursday evening to Sunday morning.
Often bringing one of the most vivid annual meteor showers visible in Earth’s night sky, the Perseids will peak on August 12 and 13. Usually, it delivers 50-100 “shooting stars” per hour at its height, putting on an impressive show. There’s just one problem this year: the full Moon.
“Sadly, this year’s Perseids peak will see the worst possible circumstances for spotters,” said
Because the Moon is so much brighter than anything else in the night sky, it will wash out all but the very brightest Perseids as they streak through our atmosphere and burn up far overhead.
A shower of Perseid meteors lights up the sky in 2009 in this NASA time-lapse image. Credit: NASA/JPL
As the full Moon subsides, the Perseids will begin to weaken around August 21-22 and cease completely by September 1. They’re the debris remnants of Comet Swift-Tuttle, a lumbering “snowball” composed of ice, rock, and dust, which orbits our Sun every 133 years. The comet itself was last visible to us in 1992 and won’t pass our way again for over 100 years: not until 2125.
How far back sightings of the Perseids actually go remains a matter of some disagreement, Cooke said. The comet itself wasn’t identified until 1862, but the meteor shower was seen over medieval Europe. The annual event came to be known as “the Tears of St. Lawrence,” named for the last of seven Roman church deacons martyred by the emperor Valerian in August of the year 258.
So, while this is probably not the best year to make a special trip in order to see the Perseids, if you find yourself outside between midnight and dawn on August 13, don’t forget to look up anyway. Because you never know – you might just catch one of the bright Perseid meteors that defies the glare of the Moon. Also, be aware that the occasional early Perseid can streak across the sky as much as a week beforehand.
If you want to know what else is in the sky for August 2022, check out the latest “What’s Up” video from Jet Propulsion Laboratory:
What are some skywatching highlights in August 2022? The daily parade of four naked-eye planets in the mornings comes to an end this month. But there are still lots of great highlights, especially if you have access to binoculars. Plus,
Summertime sees the greatest number of “shooting stars,” with July being the peak. And every summer, skywatchers all over the world look forward to observing the Perseid meteors — the “Old Faithful” of the annual meteor displays. In the process, however, most viewers will overlook six relatively minor meteor showers that peak between July 26 and Aug. 21 (three in July and three in August).
This year, sadly, a nearly full moon will seriously hamper Perseid watching. So why not take this opportunity to see the other six, all of which will enjoy dark, moonless skies?
The radiants for most of these meteor showers will be concentrated in the southern part of the sky between roughly 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. local time. A radiant is the place in the sky where the paths of meteors, if extended backward, would intersect from a particular constellation. Many people are misled into thinking that this is the best place to look for these meteors, but in reality, the radiant is an optical illusion: The meteors are traveling on parallel paths, but due to our perspective, the meteors appear to be darting from this particular spot in the sky.
Related:Meteor shower guide 2022: Dates and viewing advice
So, in essence, if you concentrate your viewing here, you’ll be looking basically at the vanishing point or a void in the sky. Only the very occasional stationary meteor — one that is coming nearly straight at you — can be seen here. In contrast, the greatest number of meteors will be seen perhaps 30 degrees away from the radiant, in the general direction of the zenith, the point in the sky directly overhead. (Your fist held at arm’s length corresponds to roughly 10 degrees of the sky.)
But the majority of southern showers do make it more likely that any “shooting star” seen in late July or early August will appear to be coming from the south.
In addition to the shower meteors, there are always sporadic ones. Before midnight, these average two or three per hour, and just before dawn, there are perhaps as many as six or seven. The duration in days of the meteor showers provided here is somewhat arbitrary, since the beginning and end are gradual and indefinite.
Our information was compiled from several sources — most notably, the book “Meteor Showers — A Descriptive Catalog” (opens in new tab) (Enslow, 1988), by Gary Kronk, and the International Meteor Organization’s 2022 Meteor Shower Calendar (opens in new tab).
Alpha Capricornids
This meteor shower peaks on July 26, though it extends from July 10 to Aug. 15. With the July new moon only two days away and the radiant reaching its highest point — about 30 degrees up — in the south at 1:40 a.m. local daylight time, conditions are nearly ideal to look for these bright meteors. The stars of Capricornus (the Sea Goat) form a roughly triangular figure, which may suggest an inverted cocked hat, or perhaps a stingray swimming directly toward you. Only a few Capricornids will appear per hour, so most of the visible meteors will be either sporadic or members of another shower. A good way to separate the two is to imagine the meteor’s path as being extended backward on the sky. Does it pass near Capricornus? If so, it is almost certainly a shower member.
Piscis Austrinids
This meteor shower extends from July 15 to Aug. 10, peaking on July 28. During the height of the Piscis Austrinids, the moon will be in new phase, so you won’t have to worry about moonlight ruining the view. The radiant is not far from the first-magnitude star Fomalhaut, which appears quite low — about 20 degrees, or two fists, above the southern horizon — at 3:15 a.m. Because of its low altitude, this meteor stream is best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, where the radiant climbs high into the sky and produces up to eight members per hour.
Delta Aquarids
July 30 marks the peak of the Delta Aquarids, the most prolific of the six minor showers, which runs from July 12 to Aug. 23. Aquarius (the Water Carrier) is pictured as carelessly carrying a water jar so that water is spilling out. The water jar is marked by a little triangle of faint stars, with a fourth star at its center. Interestingly, this shower has two radiants, suggesting that we’re seeing two distinct streams of celestial debris burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. One is located near the star Delta Aquarii, and the other is near the water jar configuration. As many as two dozen meteors per hour are provided by this shower. Expect chiefly faint, medium-speed meteors with occasional significantly brighter events. The moon is still well out of the picture, and both radiants reach their highest point in the south at around 3:40 a.m. at an altitude of roughly 40 degrees, meaning viewing circumstances will be favorable throughout the morning.
The Perseid meteor shower is seen over the Zhongtiao Mountain range in Yuncheng city, North China’s Shanxi Province, August 14, 2021. (Image credit: Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Alpha Capricornids
Another weak shower from Capricornus, which began about July 3, peaks the same night as the Delta Aquarids (July 30) and ends on Aug. 15. The radiant is 40 degrees above the horizon at 1 a.m. Though few in number, the Alpha Capricornids frequently produce slow and bright (sometimes fireball-class) yellow meteors that can be quite spectacular.
Iota Aquarids
This is the last minor shower before the Perseids and is another two-radiant shower having detectable members from July 15 to Aug. 25. At peak activity on Aug. 6, a bright waxing gibbous moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving the rest of the night dark for meteor watching. At best, perhaps six members per hour are seen under good conditions. The radiants are at their highest — 40 degrees high in the south — at 2:15 a.m.
The Perseids
A waning gibbous moon, one and a half days past full, will dominate the overnight skies of Aug. 12 to 13 to spoil this year’s annual performance of the Perseid meteor shower. The radiant, which is not far from the famous Double Star Cluster in northern Perseus, rises in the evening and is nearly 70 degrees above the northern horizon at the break of dawn. If not for the hampering effect of moonlight, observers would notice a crescendo in hourly rates averaging more than 60 meteors per hour, though double this rate has been seen on occasion. Many flaring meteors with trains are seen under dark skies, but unfortunately, only the brightest of them will be visible in 2022. This shower normally extends from July 25 through Aug. 18.
Related:Perseid meteor shower 2022: When, where & how to see it
Kappa Cygnids
This is the last of the summer meteor showers, with the next significant display (the Orionids) not coming until the latter half of October. The host constellation Cygnus (the Swan) is formed by a large figure of six stars popularly called the Northern Cross, the long axis of which lies lengthwise along the Milky Way. The limits for this shower run from Aug. 3 to 25, with the peak occurring Aug. 17. But although the maximum rate is only three or four meteors per hour, this stream does provide slow-moving, sometimes brilliant flaring fireballs, and a careful skywatcher may be nicely rewarded for the time spent. On peak night, the moon is a waning gibbous and does not rise until around 10:30 p.m., but the hours before midnight are still the best time to view this shower. At its highest, the star Kappa Cygni — from where these meteors appear to radiate — stands more than 75 degrees above the northern horizon at 10:15 p.m.
Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York’s Hayden Planetarium (opens in new tab). He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine (opens in new tab), the Farmers’ Almanac (opens in new tab) and other publications. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) and on Facebook (opens in new tab).
The most impressive meteor shower of the summer is peaking this week. Now we just have to find some clear night skies.
The Perseids meteor shower will peak on the evening of August 11, and the early morning hours of August 12. The Perseids will still continue to shower our sky for a few days after the peak, but with not as many meteors per hour.
Mike Murray, astronomer at the Delta College Planetarium, says the Perseids have been known to shoot 100 meteors across our sky in one hour during the peak hours. Murray also states the Perseids are known for fireballs, which are bright, glowing tails, and are known for yellow vapor trails.
While we can see some meteors before midnight, the highest numbers of meteors occur after midnight. Those later meteors are also more visible because they are higher in the sky.
The last few years it seems like the moon was always in the wrong phase, throwing light in the sky. This year the good news is the moon will be a crescent moon and set before midnight. We won’t have any light competition from the moon in the sky as the meteors peak.
Now can we find some clear skies? The night of the peak is happening in a pattern that can bring nighttime thunderstorms. The good news is nighttime thunderstorms usually have the smallest cloud shield surrounding a storm. Unless you are getting hit by a thunderstorm, you should be able to see stars at night, and the Perseids.
Thursday night could have patchy clouds again, but Friday night looks clear.
Check the weather, and if clear skies are forecast, you may want to stay up after midnight Wednesday night, Thursday night or Friday night. If you want to see the peak hours, you’ll have to hope for clear skies Wednesday night.
Jason Weingart/Barcroft Media via Getty Perseids Meteor Shower
Summer is quickly passing by — but not without the ultimate meteor shower event!
The 2021 Perseids Meteor Shower, which is considered to be the best meteor shower of the year, is expected to start lighting up skies on Wednesday, according to NASA.
Known for fireballs, which are larger explosions of light and color that last longer than an average meteor streak, the Perseids typically light up skies on warm summer nights, leaving “long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them,” the space agency reported.
NASA believes the “very fast and bright meteors” will be active through August 24, with a peak expected for mid-August. (EarthSky.org predicts the peak will be Aug. 11-13.)
Under ideal conditions, skywatchers may see approximately 50-100 meteors per hour with each meteor traveling at 37 miles per second, per NASA.
Named after the constellation Perseus, the Perseids originate from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862 by astronomers Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle, NASA reported.
Perseid Meteor Showers
Bob Riha Jr.,Getty Perseids Meteor Shower
RELATED: Watch This Meteor Streak Across the Sky in Footage Captured By a Police Officer’s Dash Cam
The celestial object takes 133 years to orbit the sun, meaning that the last time it made an appearance in the solar system was in 1992, according to the space agency.
NASA experts say the comet is also massive in size, measuring 16 miles wide — nearly twice the size of the object believed to have wiped out dinosaurs for good.
Because the meteors appear in all parts of the sky, it will be pretty easy to witness the celestial event from anywhere in the world, according to EarthSky.org.
To get the best show, it is advised to view the Perseids from the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, ideally between 2 a.m. and dawn, NASA reported. In some cases, sky gazers may be able to see meteors during this shower as early as 9 or 10 p.m.
“If it’s not cloudy, pick an observing spot away from bright lights, lay on your back, and look up! You don’t need any special equipment to view the Perseids – just your eyes,” NASA wrote on their site, adding that telescopes or binoculars are not recommended due to their small fields of view.
RELATED VIDEO: Possible Meteor Spotted Lighting Up Night Sky in South Florida
“Remember to let your eyes become adjusted to the dark (it takes about 30 minutes) – you’ll see more meteors that way,” NASA added. “Try to stay off of your phone too, as looking at devices with bright screens will negatively affect your night vision and hence reduce the number of meteors you see!”
The moon’s brightness will also affect viewing, according to NASA experts, who say its last quarter phase will reduce the visibility of meteors from more than 60 per hour to between 15 and 20.
For those who may be unable to view the Perseids in person, a live broadcast will be streaming from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, starting around 8 p.m. CDT on Aug. 11 and continuing through sunrise on Aug. 12.
Meteor videos recorded by the NASA All Sky Fireball Network will also be available each morning for those looking to see the Perseids.
Jason Weingart/Barcroft Media via Getty Perseids Meteor Shower
Summer is quickly passing by — but not without the ultimate meteor shower event!
The 2021 Perseids Meteor Shower, which is considered to be the best meteor shower of the year, is expected to start lighting up skies on Wednesday, according to NASA.
Known for fireballs, which are larger explosions of light and color that last longer than an average meteor streak, the Perseids typically light up skies on warm summer nights, leaving “long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them,” the space agency reported.
NASA believes the “very fast and bright meteors” will be active through August 24, with a peak expected for mid-August. (EarthSky.org predicts the peak will be Aug. 11-13.)
Under ideal conditions, skywatchers may see approximately 50-100 meteors per hour with each meteor traveling at 37 miles per second, per NASA.
Named after the constellation Perseus, the Perseids originate from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862 by astronomers Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle, NASA reported.
Perseid Meteor Showers
Bob Riha Jr.,Getty Perseids Meteor Shower
RELATED: Watch This Meteor Streak Across the Sky in Footage Captured By a Police Officer’s Dash Cam
The celestial object takes 133 years to orbit the sun, meaning that the last time it made an appearance in the solar system was in 1992, according to the space agency.
NASA experts say the comet is also massive in size, measuring 16 miles wide — nearly twice the size of the object believed to have wiped out dinosaurs for good.
Because the meteors appear in all parts of the sky, it will be pretty easy to witness the celestial event from anywhere in the world, according to EarthSky.org.
To get the best show, it is advised to view the Perseids from the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, ideally between 2 a.m. and dawn, NASA reported. In some cases, sky gazers may be able to see meteors during this shower as early as 9 or 10 p.m.
“If it’s not cloudy, pick an observing spot away from bright lights, lay on your back, and look up! You don’t need any special equipment to view the Perseids – just your eyes,” NASA wrote on their site, adding that telescopes or binoculars are not recommended due to their small fields of view.
RELATED VIDEO: Possible Meteor Spotted Lighting Up Night Sky in South Florida
“Remember to let your eyes become adjusted to the dark (it takes about 30 minutes) – you’ll see more meteors that way,” NASA added. “Try to stay off of your phone too, as looking at devices with bright screens will negatively affect your night vision and hence reduce the number of meteors you see!”
The moon’s brightness will also affect viewing, according to NASA experts, who say its last quarter phase will reduce the visibility of meteors from more than 60 per hour to between 15 and 20.
For those who may be unable to view the Perseids in person, a live broadcast will be streaming from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, starting around 8 p.m. CDT on Aug. 11 and continuing through sunrise on Aug. 12.
Meteor videos recorded by the NASA All Sky Fireball Network will also be available each morning for those looking to see the Perseids.
The past few months have delivered several spectacular celestial phenomena, including the rare “super flower blood moon” lunar eclipse, “ring of fire” solar eclipse and a beautiful strawberry supermoon. But now, the year’s best meteor shower, Perseids, is fast approaching, promising to bring spectacular shooting stars to the summer sky.
Astrophotographers will want to make sure their telescopes and cameras are ready for this epic cosmic event, which delivers incredible photos each year.
What are the Perseids?
The Perseids are active every year from around July 14 to August 24, according to NASA. The meteor shower peaks in mid-August, peaking this year on August 11, 12 and 13.
Under ideal conditions, skywatchers can expect to see up to 100 meteors per hour — a much higher amount than most other showers. NASA considers it the best shower of the year, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser.
The meteors are very fast and bright, regularly leaving long tails of light and color behind them as they streak across the sky at around 37 miles per second. They are also known for their fireballs, big explosions of bright light and color that last longer than an average meteor streak.
Perseid meteors, which are leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids, appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus — earning the shower its name. The constellation is not the actual source of the meteors, so viewers do not need to determine its exact location to spot shooting stars.
The 2018 Perseids meteor shower with the Milky way, taken in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Alps.
Getty Images
The comet responsible for the Perseids is called 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. It orbits the sun once every 133 years, last passing through the inner solar system in 1992.
The comet’s nucleus is 16 miles across, which is almost twice the size of the object that scientists believed wiped out the dinosaurs, NASA said.
When and where to watch the Perseids
The Perseids occur during the warm nights of summer, making them easily visible from around the world, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Meteors will be visible starting in the mid-to-late evening hours, as early as 9 p.m., and continue to get better into the pre-dawn hours, after 2 a.m.
Earlier in the night, skywatchers have the opportunity to spot a rare earthgrazer, a long, slow and colorful meteor moving across the horizon. In the Southern Hemisphere, meteors will begin to appear around midnight.
“If those hours seem daunting, not to worry! You can go out after dark, around 9 p.m. local time, and see a few Perseids,” NASA said. “Just know that you won’t see nearly as many as you would had you gone out during the early morning hours.”
The Perseid meteor shower over the Saskatchewan Summer Star Party, on August 10, 2018, with an aurora as a bonus.
VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Weather permitting, NASA recommends finding a place with a clear view of a large swath of the sky. On the peak mornings this year, moonlight won’t interfere with the show, with the moon only in its waxing crescent phase and 13% full, guaranteeing the sky remains dark enough to spot shooting stars.
Lie flat on your back and look up, allowing your eyes several minutes to adjust before taking in as much of the sky as possible for at least an hour. You won’t need any special equipment or knowledge of the constellations to see the show.
The shower’s peak isn’t your last chance to spot the meteors — they can still be clearly seen for about 10 days after. Additionally, the Southern Delta Aquariid and Alpha Capricornid meteor showers are still active through mid-August, adding to the dazzling light show.
If you’re not in a position to watch the Perseids, there are live streams available. NASA typically live streams the event on its Meteor Watch Facebook page, as does the Virtual Telescope Project.
Following the Perseids, the next meteor shower won’t be until October, when the Orionids light up the sky.
