Perseid meteor shower 2025: Where and when to watch in the Bay Area
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Perseid meteor shower 2025: Where and when to watch in the Bay Area
The Perseid meteor shower will peak Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. Stargazers will be able to see potentially 50 to 75 meteors per hour during peak times. To get the best views of the meteor shower, it’s advised to get away from city lights. The Perseids will be visible until Aug. 23, according to the Associated Press.
The Perseid meteor shower will peak Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, creating a glimmering display of tailed meteors across the night sky.
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According to the American Meteor Society, stargazers will be able to see potentially 50 to 75 meteors per hour during peak times, typically between midnight and just before dawn.
Experts warn the bright moon may decrease visibility, but the peak viewing hour will be between 12 and 1 a.m. on Wednesday.
To get the best views of the meteor shower, it’s advised to get away from city lights. Darker areas like parks with minimal light pollution are best.
For the Bay Area, that includes places like:
Bodega Bay — North Bay
Point Reyes National Seashore — North Bay
Henry Coe State Park — South Bay
Pescadero — Peninsula
Skyline Boulevard — Peninsula
Check out this light pollution map to find the darkest areas near you. And before leaving, remember to check the hours of the place you’re heading to. Dress warmly and bring a blanket to sit back and relax. You do not need a telescope to enjoy the meteor shower.
Oakland’s Chabot Space and Science Center will be hosting a viewing party from 11 p.m. Tuesday to 3 a.m. Wednesday.
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Although the meteor shower peaks this week, the Perseids will be visible until Aug. 23, according to the Associated Press.
How will Bay Area fog affect the Perseids meteor shower?
The Perseids meteor shower will peak in the early morning hours on Tuesday into Wednesday. If you’re looking to view the cosmic event from the Bay Area, inland areas at higher elevations are your best bet, KTVU meteorologists say. Oakland’s Chabot Space & Science Center is hosting a now-sold-out Perseid meteor shower watch party Monday night, starting at 11 p.m. The American Meteor Society says the Perseids will be active until Aug. 23, but the peak will occur Tuesday and Wednesday. The next major meteor shower, the Orionids, peaks in late October, according to the American Meteor society. The best time to watch a meteor shower is in the. early predawn hours when the moon is low in the sky.
What is a meteor shower?
As the Earth orbits the sun, several times a year, it passes through debris left by passing comets, and sometimes asteroids.
The source of the Perseids is debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
When these fast-moving space rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, the debris encounters new resistance from the air and becomes very hot, eventually burning up.
Sometimes the surrounding air glows briefly, leaving behind a fiery tail — the end of a “shooting star.”
You don’t need special equipment to see the various meteor showers that flash across annually, just a spot away from city lights.
How to watch the Perseids meteor shower in the Bay Area
The best time to watch a meteor shower is in the early predawn hours when the moon is low in the sky.
KTVU Meteorologist Steve Paulson recommends viewing the meteor shower at higher elevations in inland areas.
“I would get away from the coast and get to the higher elevation. Your best bet will be on Tuesday and into Wednesday. That looks like the peak,” he said.
Competing sources of light — such as a bright moon or artificial glow — are the main obstacles to a clear view of meteors. Cloudless nights when the moon wanes smallest are optimal viewing opportunities.
In the Bay Area, a big obstacle will likely be fog, according to Oakland’s Chabot Space & Science Center.
Gerald McKeegan, Chabot’s astronomer, suggests finding a dark place where the moon is obstructed by a building or trees.
If the meteor shower is not fogged out, McKeegan says Bay Area residents may still be able to catch bright meteors.
KTVU’s Mark Tamayo recommends viewing away from the coast and city lights.
KüTAHYA, TAVANL, TURKEY – 2024/08/12: Shooting stars appear in the sky. The scenic spectacle occurs at similar times in July and August each year. (Photo by Mehmet Malkoç/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Chabot Space & Science Center is hosting a now-sold-out Perseid meteor shower watch party Monday night, starting at 11 p.m.
The event is open to all ages and is family-friendly and tickets range from $7 to $15.
The event takes place from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.
As of Monday afternoon, the event was sold out.
The science center is also hosting a painting event on Thursday in honor of the meteor shower.
“Participants will create their own cosmic art using spray paint. The design will focus on learning about the Perseid Meteor Shower with celestial streaks of light across a night sky,” according to the center.
When is the next meteor shower?
According to the American Meteor Society, the Perseids will be active until Aug. 23, but the peak will occur Tuesday and Wednesday.
The next major meteor shower, the Orionids, peaks in late October.