Meteor shower forecast
Perseids Meteor Shower
This page is designed for practical meteor-shower planning: when to watch, where visibility is strongest, and which risks can reduce your return on travel. Use the peak and best-time guidance as your event baseline, then validate local cloud and moon conditions on the map and state pages before heading out. For most observers, darker locations and lower moon interference are the difference between a weak and strong shower experience.
Peak window: August 11-13
Best time: After midnight through pre-dawn
Expected rate: Often 50+ meteors/hour under dark skies
Moon risk: Low to moderate depending on phase
When to watch
Use the peak and local forecast together
Peak window: August 11-13
Best time: After midnight through pre-dawn
Where it is strongest
Use dark sky + low moon conditions for best results
Visibility region: Dark skies across most of the U.S., strongest away from urban glow
What can ruin visibility
Check this before you travel
Clouds, bright moonlight, haze, and city glow reduce visible meteor counts. Use the local map before departure.
How to watch
Simple field setup
- Skip the telescope; meteors are best watched with wide-open sky.
- Give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt.
- Bring warm layers, a reclining chair, and a red light.
- Face the darkest open part of the sky, not just the radiant.
Check meteor shower conditions
Final go/no-go step