The Perseid meteor shower brought views of northern lights and shooting stars with it on Sunday night. Auroras were visible as far south as Arizona and California during the small hours of Monday morning, per The Washington Post. These views come just once every year, but the show isn’t over yet.
Prime views of the celestial show are expected to last through Tuesday, Aug. 13, reports The Farmer’s Almanac. The Perseids will remain active through Aug. 24, but maximum visibility and views of the northern lights are expected to die down early this week.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseid meteor shower is visible annually in mid-August and peaks on Aug. 13, per NASA. The Perseid meteor shower is considered one of the best viewing meteor showers of the year because the Perseids produce long “wakes” of color and light their path.
It is also a bountiful shower — there are typically around 50 to 100 active meteors seen every hour, according to NASA.
“Perseids are also known for their fireballs. Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak. This is due to the fact that fireballs originate from larger particles of cometary material. Fireballs are also brighter,” reports NASA.
When is the best time to watch the meteor shower?
The peak time to view the Perseid meteor shower is after midnight during predawn hours, but views can begin as early as 10 p.m., per Space.
This week, the Perseids will reach optimal viewing between Sunday, Aug. 11, and Tuesday, Aug. 13, according to The Farmer’s Almanac. The moon will be at 40% during these days, so its light could slightly obscure views, but meteors will still be visible.
Head of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, Bill Cooke, recommends giving your eyes roughly 45 minutes to adjust to the dark before watching the shower and laying flat on your back to absorb as much of the night sky as possible.
“Don’t look at your cell phone, because that screen ruins your night vision, and it takes your eyes off the sky,” Cooke told CNN.
Where can you see the Perseid meteor shower?
The best view of the Perseid meteor shower is in the Northern Hemisphere, but views of the meteor shower are visible as far south as Texas, Mississippi, Arizona and California, per The Washington Post.
When to see Perseid northern lights and shooting stars
In some areas, the Perseid meteor showers will be accompanied by views of shooting stars and northern lights, reports Space Weather. The geomagnetic storm is forecasted to persist through the first half of Tuesday, Aug. 13, and aurora views should remain visible as well, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
On Sunday night, auroras were visible in more than 30 U.S. states — seen as far south as Texas, Mississippi and California, according to Space Weather. Some viewers shared images of the aurora views via social media.
Remaining meteor showers in 2024
There are several more opportunities left in 2024 to view meteor showers. According to The Farmer’s Almanac, these are the remaining meteor showers to look out for this year:
- Draconid: Oct. 8-9, 2024
- Orionid: Oct. 21-22, 2024
- Northern Taurid: Nov. 8-9, 2024
- Leonid: Nov. 17-18, 2024
- Andromedid: Nov. 25-27, 2024
- Geminid: Dec. 13-14, 2024
- Ursid: Dec. 21-22, 2024