NASA: Perseid meteor shower will remain active through the end of August

NASA said the Perseid meteor shower is already underway and will remain active through the end of August, giving skywatchers a multiweek window to catch one of the year’s best-known annual displays. The agency said in a post published August 5 that the shower has been ramping up since early July and is expected to peak on the night of August 12 into the early morning of August 13. (nasa.gov) NASA and other astronomy outlets said 2026 should offer unusually favorable viewing because the peak coincides with a new Moon, keeping the sky dark for much of the night. ### When should people actually go outside to watch? (nasa.gov) NASA said the strongest activity is expected from late August 12 into early August 13, with the shower reaching its peak during that overnight stretch. EarthSky and the American Meteor Society also list August 12-13 as the peak window for 2026. EarthSky said the best viewing should come after midnight through dawn on the mornings of August 12 and 13, when Perseid activity typically builds as the night goes on. Sky & Telescope said the timing of the Moon this year should help observers because the shower arrives under moon-free conditions. (nasa.gov) ### Why are astronomers emphasizing the Moon this year? NASA said the new Moon phase should keep the skies dark during the peak, improving visibility for meteors that might otherwise be washed out by moonlight. In a separate August skywatching guide, NASA said the new Moon arrives on August 12, making conditions “ideally dark” for the Perseids that same night. (nasa.gov) Sky & Telescope said observers should get moonless skies through the whole night during the Perseid peak in 2026. The American Meteor Society’s calendar also lists the peak with the Moon at 0% full. (earthsky.org) ### How long does the shower last beyond the peak? NASA said the Perseids began building in early July and will continue through the end of August, even though the highest activity is concentrated around the August 12-13 peak. That means viewers who miss the top night may still see some meteors later in the month, though at lower rates. (nasa.gov) The American Meteor Society gives a slightly narrower active window, listing the Perseids as active until August 24. That difference reflects how organizations describe the tail end of the shower, but both sources place the main viewing opportunity in mid-August. (skyandtelescope.org) ### What are people seeing when they watch the Perseids? NASA said the Perseids occur each year when Earth passes through a debris stream left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. The agency’s Perseids background page says the shower is known for swift, bright meteors that often leave long wakes of light and color behind them. (nasa.gov) The shower is especially favored in the Northern Hemisphere, according to NASA and EarthSky, and is often treated as one of the year’s most reliable meteor displays. NASA’s Night Sky Network says the Perseids can produce around 100 meteors per hour under ideal conditions, though real-world counts vary with sky darkness, local weather and how long an observer watches. (amsmeteors.org) ### If clouds or city lights get in the way, what’s the backup plan? NASA said it will host a livestream meteor watch party beginning at midnight ET on August 13 on YouTube. The agency said the stream will include live sky-camera views, meteor experts and audience questions during the overnight peak. (science.nasa.gov) August 12 and August 13 remain the key dates for observers, with NASA, EarthSky, Sky & Telescope and the American Meteor Society all pointing to that overnight period as the main event. NASA said the broader shower will continue after that, but the darkest skies and strongest activity are expected at midmonth. (science.nasa.gov) (nasa.gov)