One of the year’s best meteor showers, the Perseids, will take place on the night of Wednesday, August 12 into the morning of Thursday, August 13. The Perseids radiate from around the constellation of Perseus and are remnants from the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. A near new Moon should result in great viewing – weather permitting. The meteor shower is best viewed in the early morning hours from a dark location, and a telescope is not required.
The best viewing strategy is to set up a folding lounge chair or anything that will allow you to look comfortably at the night sky for an extended time. If you can’t make it outside or if the clouds have moved it, the folks from NASA will be live streaming it on YouTube starting at 11pm on the 12th.
For more about meteor showers in general, see our article on Meteors, Meteoroids, and Meteorites.
- “Perseid meteor shower 2026! It’s time to watch.” EarthSky. August 11, 2026.
- “Perseids Meteor Shower 2026.” Time and Date.
- “Perseids Meteor Shower.” NASA.
- Adithi Ramakrishnan, Associated Press. “How to spot the Perseid meteor shower, a summer light show that promises to dazzle.” PBS News. August 9, 2026.
- “Janet Sudnik. Summer Star Shower: Watch the Perseids with NASA!” NASA. August 5, 2026.
- Stuart Atkinson “How to Observe a Meteor Shower.” Astronomy. July 27, 2023. Updated July 28, 2023.
- “Why This Year’s Perseid Meteor Shower Is the Best in Years and How to Photograph It.” Dark Sky Utah – Carly Stocks/YouTube. August 11, 2026. (7:56)
- “Up All Night! Watch the 2026 Perseids Meteor Shower with NASA Experts.” NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center/YouTube. Scheduled August 13, 2026.
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