It’s the time of summer when the Perseid meteor shower lights up the night sky.
The Perseids are observed each year from about July 17 to August 23 and typically peak around mid-August, according to the American Meteor Society. The Perseids are expected to peak between August 12 and 13 this year, according to AMS.
The Perseid meteor shower is known for its meteor frequency, capable of producing 50 to 100 visible meteors per hour in clear, dark skies, according to NASA.
Astronomers consider the Perseids the best meteor shower of the year because its “fast and bright” meteors often leave behind long trails of light and color as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere, NASA said.
The Perseid meteor shower is observed over Lake Sonoma in Sonoma County, California on August 12, 2025.
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The Perseids are also known for their fireballs: larger bursts of light and color that last longer than the average meteor streak, according to NASA. Fireballs created from larger particles of cometary material tend to appear brighter.
The Perseids come from debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle as it orbits the Sun. The large comet has a 16-mile-long core and orbits the Sun every 133 years.
According to NASA, when comets fly around the sun, the dust released when the debris collides with Earth’s atmosphere creates a trail that creates fiery, colorful streaks in the sky.
According to NASA, the Perseids are best visible from the Northern Hemisphere in the predawn hours, but can be seen throughout the evening.
To find the Perseid meteor shower, look to the constellation Perseus in the northern sky, where the Perseids appear to originate and which gives the shower its name.
The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) lights up the sky over Joshua Tree National Park during the Perseid meteor shower in Joshua Tree, California, early morning August 12, 2024.
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NASA advises stargazers to lie on their backs away from light pollution for better viewing. It takes about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness to see the meteor showers, according to the agency.