2026 Perseids expected to be best-viewed in 19 years, peaking night of Aug. 12–13

NASA said on August 5 that the 2026 Perseid meteor shower is already underway and should reach peak visibility on the night of Aug. 12 into the early morning of Aug. 13. The agency said this year’s display should benefit from a new moon on Aug. 12, reducing moonlight and leaving darker skies for observers. WTHR said that combination could make the Perseids the best-viewed in 19 years, while the International Meteor Organization said the peak arrives with effectively moon-free conditions. ### Why are skywatchers focusing so much on the moon this year? NASA said the new moon is the key reason 2026 stands out, because moonlight is one of the main factors that washes out fainter meteors. In its August skywatching update, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the Perseids will peak with “ideally dark” skies on Aug. 12-13. (nasa.gov) The International Meteor Organization’s 2026 calendar said the Perseid peak falls on Aug. 12 with the moon about 1% full. The group said moon-free nights are expected for the 2026 Perseids, a setup that favors visual observing from dark locations. ### When is the best window to go outside? WTHR said the exact peak arrives around 10:53 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, Aug. 13, which is daylight in the United States. (nasa.gov) The station said that makes the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, Aug. 12, and Thursday, Aug. 13, the two best viewing windows. (imo.net) NASA said the shower reaches its peak on the night of Aug. 12 into the early morning of Aug. 13. The agency also said the Perseids have been active since early July and will continue through the end of August, giving viewers more nights to try if clouds interfere with the peak. ### How many meteors might people actually see? (wthr.com) WDRB said viewers could see up to 50 meteors per hour during the peak. The International Meteor Organization said normal Perseid rates from rural locations range from 50 to 75 shower meteors per hour, though actual counts depend on darkness, weather and how much of the sky is visible. NASA described the Perseids as one of the year’s brightest and most popular meteor showers. (nasa.gov) The agency said the event happens when Earth passes through debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. ### Where should you look, and when during the night? WTHR said the best time on any given night is between midnight and dawn. (imo.net) NASA’s August skywatching update said the shower is strongest after midnight and before dawn, when the radiant rises higher and more meteors become visible. (nasa.gov) NASA said observers do not need telescopes or binoculars, because meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. Dark-sky locations away from city lights generally offer the best chance of seeing the fainter streaks. ### What if the peak night is cloudy? NASA said the Perseids remain active through late August, not just on the peak night. (wthr.com) That means viewers who miss Aug. 12-13 can still catch lower but continuing activity later in the month. On Aug. 13, NASA said it will host a livestream meteor watch party starting at midnight Eastern on YouTube, with sky-camera feeds and meteor experts answering questions. (nasa.gov) That gives viewers another way to follow the shower if local weather blocks the view.