Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — NASA calls it one of the best meteor showers of the year. The Perseid meteor shower is set to peak August 12th and 13th, delivering a dazzling display of up to 25 meteors per hour. Originating from the Swift-Tuttle comet, the Perseids have been watched by people for thousands of years.
Every year, the sky comes alive with the Perseid meteor shower.
“The meteors we see are actually dust grains hitting the atmosphere and burning up in a flash of light,” said Yan Fernandez, PhD, Professor of Astronomy, University of Central Florida.
The meteors originate from the constellation Perseus, but you don’t need to just look there to see them.
“You can see ’em anywhere as long as you’ve got a view towards the sky somewhere,” explained Fernandez.
To get the best view, Astronomy Professor Yan Fernandez says timing is everything. Start after midnight, when the earth is rotating into the meteor stream. Expect better visibility as the night goes on.
“The later you can stay up, the better it’ll be,” said Fernandez.
The peak days come right after the full moon, so the longer you watch, the better. Next, don’t watch alone.
“Somebody could be looking that way. Somebody could be looking that way, somebody look that way, right? So, you cover the whole sky,” explained Fernandez.
Finally, get comfortable. Avoid light pollution and give your eyes at least 20 to 30 minutes to fully adjust to the dark.
“I mean the classic thing is to be outside, on the ground, like on a blanket or something just staring straight up in the sky, so you get as much of a view of the sky as possible,” said Fernandez.
With a little patience and some luck you just might catch a fireball. Those are the extra-bright meteors that can even cast shadows.
If you miss the Perseids don’t worry, the sky has more in store. There are also three supermoons coming up on October seventh, November fifth, and December fourth. There is also the Leonid meteor shower peak on November 17th, which Professor Fernandez considers better than the Perseids.
Contributors to this news report include: Marcy Wilder, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor.
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Sources:
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/perseids/
https://starwalk.space/en/news/astronomy-calendar-2025
https://www.pl/anetary.org/articles/calendar-of-space-events-2025
