Local outlets expect up to 70 meteors

Steamboat Today reported on August 4 that this year’s Perseid meteor shower could bring up to 70 shooting stars an hour during its peak next week, adding a local marker to broader forecasts that have made the 2026 display one of the summer’s clearest skywatching events. NASA said on August 5 that the Perseids can produce 50 to 100 meteors per hour when viewing conditions are favorable. EarthSky said the shower is expected to peak around the morning of August 13, and Sky & Telescope said 2026 offers moonless skies through the night. Together, those forecasts point to late August 12 into early August 13 as the main viewing window. ### Why are local outlets focused on 70 meteors an hour? Steamboat Today said the Perseids are expected to peak this month with up to 70 shooting stars per hour under dark skies. The outlet tied that estimate to this year’s favorable observing conditions and to the shower’s long-standing reputation in Colorado, where it also noted the display helped inspire John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High.” (steamboatpilot.com) NASA used a wider range in its August 5 skywatching post, saying the Perseids can produce as many as 50 to 100 meteors per hour if conditions are right. That range reflects how meteor counts vary by darkness, weather, and the observer’s location and patience. ### When should people actually go outside to watch? (steamboatpilot.com) EarthSky said the 2026 Perseid peak is predicted for 14:53 UTC on August 13, a timing that favors the late-night and pre-dawn hours around August 12 and August 13 for many viewers. The site said the best time to watch is after midnight through dawn on those mornings. (nasa.gov) NASA said the shower will peak the evening of August 12 into the early morning hours of August 13. The agency also said a New Moon on August 12 will leave skies “ideally dark,” removing one of the main obstacles that often washes out fainter meteors. ### What makes 2026 different from other Perseid years? (earthsky.org) Sky & Telescope said observers can expect moonless skies the whole night long in 2026, calling the timing “perfectly” aligned for the Perseids. That matters because bright moonlight can sharply reduce the number of meteors visible to the naked eye, especially the faint streaks that make up much of the shower. (science.nasa.gov) EarthSky also said the shower’s radiant in Perseus rises in the late evening and stands highest around dawn. That means even people who start watching before midnight may see the pace build as the night goes on. ### Where should viewers look, and do they need gear? NASA said the Perseids happen when Earth passes through debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. (steamboatpilot.com) As those particles hit Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up and create the bright streaks seen from the ground. Time and Date said no special equipment is needed to watch a meteor shower and advised viewers to find a secluded location away from city lights. (earthsky.org) EarthSky said the meteors appear to radiate from Perseus in the northeast, but viewers do not need to stare directly at that point because meteors can flash across wide parts of the sky. (science.nasa.gov) ### How soon is the next key date? August 12 and early August 13 are the dates cited by Steamboat Today, NASA and EarthSky as the prime viewing period for the 2026 Perseids. NASA’s “Watch the Skies” program is also scheduled for August 5, with live sky views and viewing guidance tied to the shower’s approach. (steamboatpilot.com) (timeanddate.com)