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Perseids shower: when and how to watch.

The Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend when Earth flies through the debris trail of comet Swift-Tuttle. Radiating out from the constellation Perseus, these ultra-fast meteors ignite upon entering Earth's atmosphere, exciting stargazers around the globe. See you out there.

Published August 10, 2024 at 8:01am by Eric Lagatta

Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend: How to watch

The Perseid meteor shower, known for its dazzling display of up to 100 meteors per hour, peaks this weekend (Sunday and Monday) in the Northern Hemisphere. Clear skies expected after moon set at 11:30 p.m. local time will create ideal viewing conditions, according to NASA.

Lunar conditions from year to year have a strong influence... If a bright moon is above the horizon during the night of maximum activity, then the relatively faint Perseids meteors will be reduced and thus difficult to view.
- American Meteor Society, 2024

The Perseids originate from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Discovered in 1862, the comet is massive – twice the size of the asteroid linked to the dinosaur extinction. Earth passes through its debris trail annually, creating the shower when the comet's particles collide with our atmosphere at high speed, per NASA. The shower is also known for its fireballs – large explosions of light and color that persist longer than average meteor streaks.

For viewers in 2024, a lucky coincidence: the Perseids peak overlaps with a potential appearance of the aurora borealis.