Perseid Meteor Shower 2025: Peak Date, Viewing Tips, and Moon Impact

The Perseid Meteor Shower 2025 will peak on August 12-13, with up to 75 meteors per hour visible in dark skies. However, this year's event coincides with a bright full Sturgeon Moon, which will reduce visibility. To improve chances of seeing meteors, face away from the moon and look northeast toward the radiant point in the constellation Perseus.

The Perseid Meteor Shower, one of the strongest meteor showers of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, will peak on the night of August 12-13. Typically, this event brings up to 75 meteors per hour, but this year, a nearly full moon will pose a significant challenge [1].

Meteor showers are best seen in dark, moonless skies. However, August's full Sturgeon Moon will rise on August 9, making the window for a moonless night sky extremely short [1]. On August 12, the moon will rise at almost the same time as astronomical twilight begins, leaving no ideal time for a dark sky on the peak night [1].

Despite these challenges, the Perseid peak on August 12-13 is expected to be particularly strong, with the American Meteor Society predicting between 10-20 meteors per hour under the conditions offered in 2025 [2]. To maximize visibility, it is recommended to watch with your back to the moon, as the moon will trace a low arc across the southern sky, and the radiant point of the Perseids (located in the constellation Perseus) will be rising in the northeast [1].

For the best viewing experience, it is suggested to watch from a safe rural area that is as dark as possible. The more stars you can see, the more meteors will also be visible. Aim your center of view about half-way up in your darkest direction away from lights and obstacles such as hills and trees. With a bright moon in the sky, look in the opposite direction and don't look straight up as more activity is visible at lower elevations [2].

The Perseid meteor shower is the result of dust and debris left in the inner solar system by a colossal comet called Swift-Tuttle, which last entered the inner solar system in 1992 and won't be seen again until 2125 [1].

References:
[1] https://www.livescience.com/space/meteoroids/perseid-meteor-shower-2025-how-to-see-shooting-stars-despite-the-full-moon
[2] https://www.amsmeteors.org/2025/08/viewing-the-perseids-in-2025/