Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend as Moon dims fainter meteors

The Perseid meteor shower is at its peak this weekend, delivering a spectacular display of shooting stars even as a bright Moon washes out fainter meteors for many skywatchers. The annual event, born from debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle, typically lights up the July-to-August skies with fast, bright meteors and is best viewed under dark, moonless conditions. This year’s peak nights are expected to fall between August 12 and 13, with observers around the world urged to head outside during the predawn hours for the best chance to catch the brightest fireballs.

Experts say the Perseids can produce a flurry of meteors when skies are dark enough. Under ideal conditions with little or no moonlight, visibility can reach between 60 and 100 meteors per hour. However, this year’s peak coincides with a waning gibbous Moon, which significantly reduces the number of fainter meteors visible. Observers can still expect to see bright Perseids, but the overall rate is likely to be much lower than in pristine dark-sky conditions. One long-running meteor specialist noted that during bright Moon conditions, the best rates may be around 15 meteors per hour, with most of the activity consisting of...