The Perseid Meteor Shower 2025 Peaks August 12-13: This is what to expect the spectacle of dazzling cosmic light
Get Ready Stargazers: The Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks next week, from August 12 to 13, bringing 100 filming stars per hour, as well as the potential for dazzling balls
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every year in earth barrels through the track of the old debris lost by the comet 109p / Swift-Tuttle. These cometary fragments – often larger than a grain of sand – collide with the atmosphere of the earth at speeds up to 37 miles (59 kilometers) per second. The resulting friction quickly vaporizes debris, creating the brilliant flashes that we consider as ardent “filming stars”.
Perseid meteors are known for the long awakenings they leave behind as they are soaring in the sky. The shower is also famous for producing dramatic fireballs – unusually shiny meteors that can surpass even the brightest planets.
This year’s show is delivered with a major warning: Moonlight. The 80% illuminated decreasing moon Gibbous will increase a few hours before midnight on August 12 and will remain high above the southern horizon to dawn, washing all the brightest meteors.
Despite the moonlight, the Perseids could still make a beautiful spectacle. They will seem to emanate from an original point – known as Radiant – located near the Star Eta Perséi in the Perseus constellation, which climbs high in the summer sky in the hours that preceded dawn towards this period of the year. News in Stargazing can find the constellation using a smartphone astronomy application, many of which use augmented reality technology to help identify the specific locations of specific stars.
The Perseids are better seen in the hours preceding dawn on August 13, when the radiant is the highest in the North-East night sky, although it is possible to spot meteors belonging to the shower from 10 p.m.
Upper camera pick
Are you looking to imagine a Perseid meteor for yourself? Then be sure to check the Nikon Z6 II, which presents a robust design perfect for hunting for filming stars. Read our critic of the Nikon Z6 II to discover everything we liked.
You can maximize your chances of seeing meteors with the longest tails by allowing your night vision to adapt in a location of the dark sky for 30 minutes and to look at around 40 degrees above the radiant compared to the horizon. Remember that the width of your tight fist held at the length of the arm against the night sky represents about 10 degrees.
Publisher’s note: If you capture a photo of a Perseid meteor and want to share it with Space.com readers, please send your photo, comments, name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
