{"id":553852,"date":"2026-07-17T04:55:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T04:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/553852\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T04:55:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T04:55:31","slug":"the-perseid-meteor-shower-aligns-with-a-total-solar-eclipse-this-year-heres-how-to-see-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/553852\/","title":{"rendered":"The Perseid meteor shower aligns with a total solar eclipse this year\u2014here\u2019s how to see it"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Perseids have a reputation as the \u201cbest meteor shower of the year,\u201d according to<\/a> NASA. This annual light show is prolific, with bright meteors falling all over the sky and occasionally a fireball or two\u2014or sometimes dozens<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And this year, the peak of the Perseids may be even more impressive: it just so happens that the meteor shower\u2019s busiest days fall on the same date as a total solar eclipse.<\/p>\n

Meteor showers<\/a> occur when the Earth\u2019s orbit crosses paths with a trail of dust and debris left behind by an asteroid or comet. In the case of the Perseids, the cosmic debris comes from an unusually large comet called 109P\/Swift-Tuttle<\/a>, which is about 16 miles (26 kilometers) across. That\u2019s why this meteor shower happens annually\u2014it passes through the debris stream every trip Earth makes around the sun.<\/p>\n

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The Perseids fall from mid-July through to late August. This year’s peak\u2014the period with the most meteors\u2014is expected to fall on August 12 and August 13. On those days, skygazers can expect to see between 30 and 50 meteors<\/a> an hour or more. August 12 is also the date of a total solar eclipse<\/a>\u2014an event that happens when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, leaving a swath of Earth in darkness for a few brief minutes. For those in the path of totality, the region where the moon will completely block out the sun\u2019s light, you may catch a glimpse of the Perseids for the approximately two minutes<\/a> you\u2019ll be in the moon\u2019s shadow. That includes<\/a> parts of Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Russia and Spain.<\/p>\n

This year, you can see the Perseids in the night\u2019s sky anytime between July 17 and August 24, according to<\/a> the American Meteor Society. If you\u2019re not in the solar eclipse path, the greatest visibility tends to be in the pre-dawn hours. For the best viewing, try to get to a safe, dark outdoor place away from city lights on a day without cloud cover or a bright moon. Give your eyes about 30 minutes to acclimatize to the dark, and look up!<\/p>\n

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