Will the 2025 version of the Perseid meteor shower resemble past years, when observers could see hundreds in one night? The bright Moon may have something to say about that.
Credit: Jeff Dai
Key Takeaways:
- The Perseid meteor shower will be visible on the evenings of August 12th and 13th.
- The shower is caused by Earth traversing a cometary debris stream.
- The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus.
- Observers are advised to position themselves away from the bright Moon for optimal viewing.
In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Dave Eicher invites you to head out on the evenings of August 12th and 13th to watch for rapid streaks of light crossing the sky. Those streaks occur when Earth passes through a stream of particles left behind by a comet. Because they all appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, we call them the Perseid meteor shower. The Moon will be bright this year, so face away from it. Good luck!
