The Perseid meteor shower will peak Sunday night, giving astronomy enthusiasts one of the best shows of 2024 as they scan the skies.
The meteor shower began in July and will continue through most of August, but will peak Sunday night into Monday, NASA said. The Perseids are considered the “best meteor shower of the year” by NASA, with about 50 to 100 meteors observed per hour under ideal conditions.
What time will the Perseid meteor shower peak tonight?
According to NASA, the best time to see the Perseids is before dawn, but meteors from the shower can be seen as early as 10 p.m.
NASA notes that the Moon will set just as the Perseids begin to peak. The Old Farmer’s Almanac details specific Moonset times for various zip codes across the United States.
Where will the Perseid meteor shower be seen?
The best way to see the Perseid meteor shower is to travel to the northern hemisphere. NASA recommends that astronomy enthusiasts who want to see the meteor shower stay away from bright city lights.
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““Try to go to the darkest place possible,” NASA wrote. “The darker it is where you are, the more meteors you’ll see streaking across the sky.”
About 50 to 75 meteors can be observed per hour in darker locations.
In which direction should you look for the meteor shower?
Look up! NASA suggests lying on your back, letting your eyes adjust to the darkness, and not using your phone. There’s no need to look in any particular direction, as meteors are usually visible all over the sky.
The space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said it can be helpful to face northeast while lying down, but observers should try to observe as much of the sky as possible because meteors can appear anywhere.
When will the next meteor shower occur?
Two other meteor showers are currently active. The Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower began last month and will continue through August 21. It peaked in late July. The Alpha Capricornids, a smaller meteor shower, also began last month. It will continue through August 11, according to the American Meteor Society.
The next major meteor shower, the Orionids, won’t be active until late September, with a peak in October, according to the American Meteor Society. NASA describes the Orionids as one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year. The Orionids are known for their brightness and speed.
What are meteor showers?
Meteors, space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere, streak across the sky every night, but meteor showers are less common. In a meteor shower, many meteors strike Earth’s atmosphere over a short period of time. As they pass through the atmosphere, the meteors leave behind trails of light caused by the hot, glowing air.
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Although most meteors burn up as they fall, some survive the journey and reach Earth. Surviving space rocks are considered meteorites.
Look up: What else can you see in the sky this summer?
There will be two more full moons this summer. The August full moon, called the Sturgeon Moon, will peak on Monday, August 19. The September full moon will peak on Tuesday, September 17, just a few days before the start of fall.
