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NewsKPBS Public MediaAugust 12, 2026San Diego

Perseid meteor shower peaks Wednesday night into Thursday morning

The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, offering potential visibility of 30 to 100 meteors per hour. Ideal viewing conditions are expected due to the new moon phase and dark skies away from city lights.

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Why It Matters

Residents in the Northern Hemisphere can observe this celestial event without specialized equipment by finding a dark location away from light pollution between midnight and dawn.

Key Facts

  • The Perseid meteor shower peaks from Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
  • NASA estimates 50 to 100 meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
  • The American Meteor Society estimates 30 to 50 meteors per hour in rural regions.
  • The moon is in its new moon phase, which reduces light pollution and improves visibility.
  • The best viewing time is between midnight and dawn.
  • The meteors originate from debris left by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
  • Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle orbits the sun every 133 years and will return in 2125.
  • Observers should allow 30 minutes for eyes to adjust to the dark.
  • The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus.

Who's Mentioned

organizationNASA“Provided estimates for meteor visibility.”organizationAmerican Meteor Society“Provided estimates for meteor visibility in rural regions.”other109P/Swift-Tuttle“Comet responsible for the Perseid debris.”personZach Vanderbosch“Astronomer with McDonald Observatory.”personAparna Venkatesan“Astronomer with the University of San Francisco.”