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EmailSee the Almanac's Meteor Showers Guide for 2013 for the dates of all the principal meteor showers during the year—plus viewing tips.
Meteor Showers Viewing Tips
- To answer the most common question: Yes, you can see these meteor showers from ANYWHERE in the sky, provided it's clear and dark, away from all the city lights.
- Where to look? The best place to start is near the radiant or "point of origin" of the meteor shower. This is where the flight course starts from.
- On below chart, see the "date of maximum" which shows when meteor showers will be the strongest.
- Note that the "best viewing" times are usually predawn and late evening—when the Earth turns into the path of meteoroids as they enter the Earth's atmosphere.
- You don't need any special equipment. In fact, binoculars do not work for meteor showers. The naked eye is best.
- Spread a blanket on the ground and look up in the dark night sky.
For more information, click here to read our article, "What are Meteor Showers: Facts About Shooting Stars."
2013 Meteor Showers Guide
.jpg "2012 Meteor shower chart")
See the monthly Sky Watch for highlights of the night sky and a printable sky map!
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Comments
I have a nephew who loves
I have a nephew who loves watching the night sky. We would like to know if there will be a meteor shower in Florida in June or July, and what time is the best time to watch meteor showers? Thank you for your time. My nephew is 9 year old. Wanda
Hi Wanda, the meteor showers
Hi Wanda, the meteor showers for this summer will be the Delta Aquarid and the Perseid, in July and August, both visible from Florida. Please see the chart above. Thanks!
I live in North Carolina, and
I live in North Carolina, and it was around 4:35 am Monday morning when I saw a bright mint green light fall from sky heading towards trees, it scared me so I turned my head so I don't know what happened I was headed north coming from youngsville heading towards franklinton.
My mom said that it was a
My mom said that it was a comet. idk, that was my first time seeing anything like that. I haven't heard anything on the news about others seeing it.
If you could see it moving,
If you could see it moving, it wasn't a comet. It was probably a meteor.
Wondering why your rates do
Wondering why your rates do not match those published by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada nor do they even match your USA counter part http://www.farmersalmanac.com/meteor-showers/?
I did send along the details but have not heard anything other than looking at your site 4 months later the details are still not updated.
Our source for the meteor
Our source for the meteor showers listed in the Almanac is the American Meteor Society (AMS). See: http://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-faq/
See # 7 on that page. We've picked a moonless, rural sky, which is different from an absolutely dark sky (which might see over 100). We note this on the meteor shower page in the printed Almanac and also under the chart on this page.
A few months ago, I found a
A few months ago, I found a rock that looked like a meteorite. Then, I think a week ago, I looked it up online and found out it was a meteorite but, I did a little more research and found out it was a Lunar Meteorite!!! I'm also hoping I will see some some meteors when I go out with my telescope again!
I've been a Seattle "city"
I've been a Seattle "city" girl most of my life. In 2006 we moved to the "country" in eastern Washington State. I have never seen anything as spectacular as I did at 11:20pm on September 9, 2010.(I even marked my calendar in case this is an annual event)
I was gazing at the eastern sky, when a huge bright green "fireball" with a very long tail passed before my eyes traveling in a northerly direction. I was absolutely "star-struck" to say the least! What did I witness? I googled everything that I could think of, but I have never been given any inkling of what I may have witnessed. Most of the folks that I tell my story to just kind of say "oh really" or they blow me off.
Do you have any idea of what I witnessed that night?
I take my dog on late night walks on our property and am always on the lookout for the beautiful star shows. Ideas, Please? Thank You.
Sounds to me like you got to
Sounds to me like you got to witness a view of the Northern Lights
Your description sounds like
Your description sounds like you witnesses a Bolide
The word bolide comes from the Greek βολίς (bolis) [14] which can mean a missile or to flash. The term generally applies to fireballs reaching magnitude −14 or brighter.[15] Astronomers tend to use "bolide" to identify an exceptionally bright fireball, particularly one that explodes (sometimes called a detonating fireball). It may also be used to mean a fireball which creates audible sounds.
One autumn morning in late
One autumn morning in late 1994 I woke up at 3:00 am to drive an hour for work at a near by town. I was driving out on my dirt road where I was able to vveiw an enormous fir ball which was probably an orphan meteor. It was so bright it light up the road and my car like bright day and I thought it would crash on me so I stopped the car. To begin it was very irredescent blue then faded toa warm pinkish red and then disapeared leaving and faint red tail. Was so exciting to see. I thought I would share this with you. Thank you Brian
Thanks for sharing, Brian!
Thanks for sharing, Brian! That's a once-in-a-lifetime sighting!
What is exactly time named
What is exactly time named "predawn" and "late evening"? When exactly should I observe the stars? Is "late evening" be after midnigt, e.d. 'tomorrow', next date?
Predawn: an hour or so before
Predawn: an hour or so before morning twilight. Best time to view most major showers.
Late evening: approximately between 10 pm and midnight (or a little past).
In general, most major meteor showers are best seen after midnight; some do not even appear until after then. Usually, a better time to see them is after 2 a.m., and the best time is about an hour or so just before morning twilight.
Geminids, however, can be seen starting earlier, such as around 9 or 10 pm, until morning twilight.
Sometimes Draconids may be visible at nightfall through early evening.
My wife and I live about 30
My wife and I live about 30 minutes south of San Antonio, TX and are wanting to know when the best time for us to try and see the Halley comet Eta Aquarid meteor shower will be and what direction we should be looking? Can anyone help us out please?
I'm not sure which direction,
I'm not sure which direction, but a friend of mine said that it'll start sometime between 2 and 3 AM, and SpaceWeather.com says that the best time to watch would be before tomorrow's sunrise.
Hi good morning ...my son 10
Hi good morning ...my son 10 years old and he want to see the shower We are are from italy and we want to see the exact time and date here in italy july 30 and augost please here in europe italy what time at night and the date ..thank you very much for your kindness... Hoping to see my son thank and god bless
I just saw a comet in the sky
I just saw a comet in the sky on my way home from my in-law's, and was curious if the meteor shower due to show tonight would be visible from New Hampshire? Was my first time ever seeing a shooting star or comet or meteor or anything, and it was breathtaking :)
Fantastic to see a comet!
Fantastic to see a comet! Congrats! Unfortunately, in 2012, the almost-full Moon will probably wash out this lightweight meteor shower--which is best seen from the Southern Hemisphere.
Hey, this is amazing. I saw
Hey, this is amazing. I saw something I thought was a comet across between 9:30 and 10:00 on Sunday night. I have seen falling stars several times in my life and to me the seemed to fall in downward motion but this seem to be going horizonally across the sky as blazing ball with a tail until it faded out of view. I live in North Caroina. I just happened to see it while sitting out on the porch talking on the phone. I stayed out for hours watching the sky hoping to see something again. I have never seen an event like this before in 45 years of life. Ihave always been somewhat of a sky watcher, but have seemed to miss out on seeing the night sky in the past few years. It definitely is a sight worth a second glance. Amazing!!! :)
You saw a Delta Aquarid
You saw a Delta Aquarid meteor. The Delta Aquarid and Perseid meteor showers in late July and August are the most reliable meteor showers in the Northern Hemisphere.
After midnight to dawn on July 28-30 was the best viewing of the Delta Aquarid meteors.
Perhaps you mean you saw a
Perhaps you mean you saw a meteor. The comets I have witnessed during the63 years or so have all been rather faint and one would need to stare in their general direction and concentrate to see them. Meteors,on the other-hand, unexpectedly streak across the sky and grab ones attention.
I am so excited! I have never
I am so excited! I have never seen anything more than shooting star and I'm like 11. It will probably be especially easy to see where I'm from, which is Grantsville, four mile radias and no building bigger than the elementry school. I think this is gonna be great!!!!!!!
Just wanted to know if there
Just wanted to know if there were any meteor showers visible in New Jersey coming up
Yes, you can see any of the
Yes, you can see any of the meteor showers in the chart above in New Jersey, provided you have a dark sky. The Perseids are coming up!
I have watched the Perseid
I have watched the Perseid meteor shower for years and it is a yearly event here with a few friends.
What time would be best to
What time would be best to watch the meteor shower in southern Califorina?
The best time to observe the
The best time to observe the Perseids is between midnight and sunrise; that's when the Earth will be colliding head-on with the meteor stream.
Hi I live in Houston TX and
Hi I live in Houston TX and when is the best time exactly to see the perseid meteor shower?
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