Report by Paula Antolini, August 12, 2019, 12:L30PM EDT
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, which peaks August 12 to 13, is one of the greatest meteor shower events of the year. Find out when to watch for the 2019 Perseid Meteor Shower!
2019 PERSEID METEOR SHOWER FORECAST
The 2019 Perseid meteor shower reaches its maximum from late midnight August 12 to dawn August 13. However, due to the bright and nearly full Moon (August 14/15) this year, it’s best to watch during the window between moonset and dawn. So the key is to find the times of moonset in your location.
Here’s our handy Moonset calculator. Just enter your zip code!
In dark skies (no moonlight and no city lights), the Perseids produce 50 to 60 meteors per hour or more!
More viewing tips are below!
Remember that the Perseids aren’t the only thing to look for in the night sky! Check out our free monthly star chart for a map of the stars and important meteor shower viewing tips.
Also keep an eye on our 7-day forecasts to see if the weather will cooperate in your area on the night of the shower.
WHEN IS THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every year from about July 23 to August 22. The shower’s “maximum”—when the greatest number of meteors per hour fall—is typically in the pre-dawn hours of August 11, 12, or 13. See a schedule of ALL major meteor showers on our Meteor Shower Calendar page.
Meteors occur when Earth rushes through a stream of dust and debris left behind by a passing comet (the Swift-Tuttle comet, in the case of the Perseids). When the bits strike Earth’s upper atmosphere, friction with the air causes each particle to heat and burn up. We see the result as a meteor. See more facts about meteor showers.
WHAT IS THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER?
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every August, and its fame comes from the fact that it reliably has the brightest and most numerous meteors. Even if the viewing conditions aren’t the best, you’re likely to spot some meteors during the maximum nights of the Perseid meteor shower.
The Perseid shower is named for the constellation Perseus, which is its radiant. A radiant is the point of origin of the meteor shower, so the Perseid meteors will appear to be traveling away from the constellation Perseus in the night sky. Locating Perseus might therefore help you to see as many meteors as possible.
HISTORY OF THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER
The Perseids are the legacy of Comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Parnell Tuttle. The comet passes through the inner Solar System, where Earth is located, only once every 133 years. Each August, Earth encounters the trail of debris left behind by Swift-Tuttle, and we are treated to one of the best meteor showers of the year.
The rate at which the meteors fall is determined by where Comet Swift-Tuttle is in relation to Earth when Earth crosses Swift-Tuttle’s orbit. The concentration of meteors is higher when the comet is near Earth. In the early 20th century, the peak rate of the Perseid meteor shower was as low as 4 meteors per hour. When Swift-Tuttle was very close to Earth in 1993, however, the peak rate was between 200 and 500 meteors per hour.
The first record of the Perseid meteor shower comes from a Chinese manuscript written in A.D. 36. The Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli linked the Perseid shower to Comet Swift-Tuttle in 1866, four years after the comet was detected by modern astronomers.
Learn about the other major annual meteor shower, the Geminid meteor shower, here.
VIEWING TIPS FOR THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER
Watching a meteor shower could not be simpler. Just go outside on the night(s) of the Perseid meteor shower “maximum” and look up! You can maximize your chances of seeing meteors by finding an open area far from man-made lights. Of course, cloud cover can prevent you from seeing the shower. Check our short range forecast to see whether it’ll be a stormy evening or clear skies.
- The best time to watch is between midnight and dawn. Doing it with family and friends makes the difference between a lonely vigil and an adventure. Have fun, and be sure to tell us about your meteor shower experience below.
- Being comfortable is important. To avoid a stiff neck, bring a chaise lounge or reclining lawn chair. A sleeping bag on the ground works, too. Find a slight incline so that your head will be higher than your feet. Bring an extra layer of clothes; when you are sitting or lying outside at night, your body heat radiates directly into the sky.
- Get away from light pollution! You’ll want to avoid city lights. Any hill out in the countryside works. Mountaintops are also great viewing locations because they are usually at a high enough altitude to reduce haze from air and light pollution. Plan a camping trip!
- The meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, but you’ll have the best luck by gazing at whatever part of the sky is darkest at your location. Though it might be tempting, avoid using binoculars or a telescope. It is better to look at the whole sky than a tiny part of it, and your eyes will automatically move toward any motion up above. Avoid looking at your cell phone or other lights during the meteor shower, as this will damage your night vision.
- While the shower is best when Moonlight is absent, you can still watch for shooting stars if the Moon’s around. Just try to face away from the Moon when looking for meteors. Its light pollution will affect the whole sky, but it will be worse closer to the Moon.
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