NASA: Perseid meteor shower will remain active through late August

NASA said the Perseid meteor shower is already underway and will remain visible through the end of August, extending the viewing window beyond its mid-August peak. The agency said in a Watch the Skies post published August 5 that the shower has been ramping up since early July and reaches its high point on the night of August 12 into August 13. (nasa.gov) Sky & Telescope said this year’s peak should benefit from a new Moon, leaving skies dark through the night. The alignment gives skywatchers a longer stretch of favorable conditions during one of the year’s best-known meteor showers. (skyandtelescope.org) ### How long will the Perseids be visible this year? NASA said the Perseids have been active since early July and will “sparkle in the skies through the end of August,” according to its August 5 advisory. That means viewers do not have to wait for the exact peak night to see activity, though rates are expected to be lower outside the maximum. August 12 and August 13 remain the most important dates in the shower’s calendar. NASA said those nights should bring the highest meteor rates of the display. (nasa.gov) ### Why are August 12 and 13 the nights to watch? NASA’s August 5 post said the Perseids “reach their peak on the night of Aug. 12 into the early hours of Aug. 13.” That is the point when Earth passes through the densest part of the debris stream associated with the shower. Sky & Telescope said 2026 should offer unusually favorable timing because a new Moon will keep the sky moonless all night during the peak. (nasa.gov) Bob King wrote that the lack of moonlight should improve visibility for fainter meteors that might otherwise be washed out. ### What is producing the meteors? NASA said the Perseid meteors come from debris shed by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The agency said those particles burn up when they encounter Earth’s atmosphere, creating the bright streaks commonly called shooting stars. The Perseids return every year as Earth moves through that debris trail. (nasa.gov) NASA described the shower as one of the year’s brightest and most popular annual meteor displays. ### Does the dark Moon phase really change what people can see? Sky & Telescope said yes. (skyandtelescope.org) The publication’s August 5 article said the new Moon will leave “moonless skies all night long,” a setup that improves contrast and makes weaker meteors easier to spot during the peak window. NASA’s own 2026 skywatching calendar also flagged the Perseids as one of the year’s notable observing events. (nasa.gov) Separate Sky & Telescope coverage published earlier this year said the 2026 Perseids should be among the meteor showers with especially favorable Moon conditions. (nasa.gov) ### What should readers watch for next? The night of August 12 into August 13 is the next major milestone for observers planning to go outside. NASA’s Watch the Skies page and Sky & Telescope’s observing coverage both point to that overnight window as the best chance to catch the shower at its strongest before activity tapers later in August. (skyandtelescope.org) (nasa.gov 1) (nasa.gov 2)