How to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower in Northern California

One of the most active meteor showers of the year is expected to peak this weekend and conditions over Northern California are ideal for catching a glimpse. According to NASA, the Perseid meteor shower is visible each year between late July and mid-August. With the right viewing conditions, it may be possible to see 50 to 100 meteors streak across the sky every hour. When to watch the Perseid meteor shower in California Sky conditions will be mostly clear on Saturday and Sunday nights. The best time to watch will be between midnight and 5 a.m. This window of time is after moonset and before sunrise, allowing for the darkest conditions possible. It would be best to wait until after 11 p.m. when the constellation Perseus makes its way over the horizon and the crescent moon sets in the west. The biggest challenge in Northern California is finding a location that is dark enough to allow our eyes to see the fast-moving streaks of light. Once you find a dark place to watch the sky, try looking to the northeast. NASA recommends finding a remote area away from light pollution. Your eyes will need some time to adjust to the low light conditions, so plan to stay in the viewing area for several hours. Once your eyes have adjusted, look straight up and be patient. The meteors will be visible at irregular intervals. If you find these ideal conditions, there is a chance you could see up to 100 meteors streak across the sky per hour. This shower is usually one of the largest of the year and is a great excuse to get outside and stargaze. See more coverage of California’s top stories here | Download our app | Sign up for our morning newsletter

One of the most active meteor showers of the year is expected to peak this week, and conditions over Northern California look ideal for trying to catch a glimpse.

According to NASA, the Perseid meteor shower can be seen every year between late July and mid-August. Under good viewing conditions, it may be possible to see 50 to 100 meteors streak across the sky every hour.

When can you see the Perseid meteor shower in California?

Skies will be mostly clear Saturday night and Sunday. The best viewing time will be between midnight and 5 a.m., after moonset and before sunrise, allowing for the darkest conditions possible.

It’s best to wait until after 11pm because that’s when the constellation Perseus makes its way above the horizon and the crescent moon sets in the west.

The biggest challenge in Northern California is finding a place that is dark enough to allow our eyes to see the fast streaks of light. Once you find a dark place to see the sky, try looking to the northeast.

NASA recommends finding a remote area away from light pollution. Your eyes will need some time to adjust to the low-light conditions, so plan to stay in the viewing area for several hours.

Once your eyes adjust, look straight up and be patient. Meteors will be visible at irregular intervals.

If you find these ideal conditions, you could potentially see up to 100 meteors streak across the sky per hour. These showers are usually some of the largest of the year, and are a great excuse to get outside and stargaze.
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