The most anticipated and most popular celestial event of the year is just around the corner. The Perseids meteor shower occurs from July 17, 2025 to August 23, 2025, in the Northern Hemisphere and is often considered to be the best annual meteor shower.
Named after the constellation Perseus from which it radiates, the Perseids meteor shower will reach its peak in mid-August. But this year, the moon is planning to damper its shine.
When to Catch the Perseids Meteor Shower
Typically, the best time to observe the Perseids meteor shower is around the middle of August, specifically from August 12, 2025 into the dawn of August 13, 2025. But also in 2025, the almost-full moon will occur around the same time and will outshine the Perseids’ peak. Due to the presence of the moon, the meteor shower will not be as spectacular as usual, and only the brightest shooting stars will break through.
But there is still hope to catch some of the splendor of the Perseids. Instead of watching the night sky during its peak, look to the skies before and after the peak period when the moon isn’t at its fullest.
The best time to spot the Perseids’ colorful collisions? Although you can sometimes spot the show as early as 10 p.m. EST, it’s best to set your alarm for an early wake-up call for their peak time during the hours right before dawn. Or you can take advantage of the warm, summer weather and spend a night under the stars.
Read More: The Seven Sisters Eclipse Will Temporarily Block Stars From View
Why the Meteor Shower Is Noteworthy
The Perseids meteor shower is quite spectacular for many reasons. The abundance of meteors makes the Perseids hard to miss, with upwards of 50 to 100 meteors spotted per hour. The meteors are also incredibly fast and bright. They can reach speeds around 37 miles per second and often have long, colorful tails as they shoot across the sky.
If you’re lucky, you might even see some of the meteors turn into fireballs that explode with light and color upon entering Earth’s atmosphere. These fireballs are caused by bigger comet particles that burn brighter and last longer than the typical meteor.
Where Does The Perseids Meteor Shower Come From?
Humans have been enjoying the Perseids for centuries. The comet that the Perseids meteor shower comes from was discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle, and aptly named 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Comet Swift-Tuttle is about twice the size of the asteroid that likely led to the extinction of the dinosaurs and takes 133 years to orbit the Sun a single time.
As comets make their way around the Sun, they leave space dust in their wake. Since Earth also orbits the Sun, it ends up passing through the comet’s leftovers, which break up and create a flashy show when they collide with our atmosphere.
Read More: Carbon-Rich Meteorites Lose Their Shock Value After Exploding On Impact
Article Sources
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NASA. Perseids Meteor Shower
As the marketing coordinator at Discover Magazine, Stephanie Edwards interacts with readers across Discover's social media channels and writes digital content. Offline, she is a contract lecturer in English & Cultural Studies at Lakehead University, teaching courses on everything from professional communication to Taylor Swift, and received her graduate degrees in the same department from McMaster University. You can find more of her science writing in Lab Manager and her short fiction in anthologies and literary magazine across the horror genre.
