The Perseid peak is coming: when to look at the sky and how to see the most meteors

If you are in a place protected from light pollution, and the sky is clear, you can see quite a few meteors during the night.

Персеїди у серпні 2025 (NASA/Білл Інґаллс)

12 August, 16:30

Every summer, the Perseid meteor shower occurs, which can be seen with the naked eye. Its peak usually falls on the night between August 12 and 13.

This year, the Perseids coincide with the new moon, so you can observe the peak under an almost moonless sky. This was reported by NASA.

They explain that if you are in a place protected from light pollution, and the sky is clear, you can see quite a few meteors during the night.

The Perseid meteor shower, which is part of the debris stream from Comet Swift-Tuttle, actually starts in mid or late July and lasts through most of August. On most nights, you can only see a few meteors per hour, but during the Perseid peak, there are significantly more.

How to prepare for "falling star" watching

Tips from NASA to enjoy the meteor shower:

Get out of town. Try to find the darkest place possible. The darker it is around you, the more meteors you will see in the sky.
Check the weather forecast for tonight. It might be worth checking the forecast for two or three locations, paying attention to fog, clouds, and temperature. Some weather services even offer special sky-watching forecasts. Make sure that along with a dark sky, you also have a cloudless one.
Find company for meteor watching. Join like-minded people in a local park or an event organized by an astronomy club, especially if you are observing for the first time.
Ensure warmth and comfort. You will spend a lot of time outdoors and will most likely want to lie on your back to cover as much of the sky as possible. Bring a blanket, a jacket, a hat, a warm drink, and water. It might seem strange to wear warm clothes in the middle of summer, but temperatures can drop significantly at night. If there are many insects in the area, don't forget insect repellent.
Invite friends and family. Watching the starry sky together is wonderful, and more people means more eyes looking at the sky. A group can spot more meteors than one person and help each other find areas of the sky with the most activity. And if you are in a remote area in the dark, company also adds a sense of security.

Additionally, you can use NASA's "Fluximator" app to try to predict the peak activity time of the meteor shower for your specific location.

It's worth noting that in some cities, special events are even organized where sleeping accommodations are set up on the roofs of establishments, allowing everyone to enjoy the meteor shower in a cozy atmosphere.

What if the sky is cloudy

If clouds spoil your plans, NASA has prepared a live broadcast "Up All Night! Watch the 2026 Perseids Meteor Shower with NASA Experts". The broadcast begins at 7:00 AM on August 13 (Kyiv time). It's noted that you can join the team from the Marshall Space Flight Center, where ALaMO — an automated lunar and meteor observatory that celebrates 20 years of discoveries this year — operates. Views of the sky from the International Space Station will also be shown. Under favorable conditions, the peak can produce 50–100 meteors per hour.

We remind you that a solar eclipse will also occur this evening. It can be partially seen in the western regions of Ukraine. More information about this is available via the link.