The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak on August 12-13, with a partial solar eclipse also occurring that night. According to Peter Brown, a professor of meteor astronomy at Western University, the shower is likely to produce around 120 meteors per hour in ideal conditions, although this number will be lower due to moonlight and other factors. The shower began on July 17 and can be seen as early as 10pm on August 12, with the peak viewing period expected to occur between midnight and 3am Eastern Daylight Time. Brown advises observers to find a dark location and avoid using their phone until their eyes have adjusted to the darkness.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Get ready for 'meteor Christmas' with an added bonus: a partial solar eclipse
Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of Aug. 12-13, but there are other showers taking place as well
asserted
shower → get → place
Every August we are treated to one of the best meteor showers of the year: the Perseids.
asserted
we → treat → year
This year, on the day of the shower's peak, we will also get a partial solar eclipse.
asserted
we → get → eclipse
Let's start with the Perseids.
asserted
's → let → Perseids
This shower is often considered one of the best, if not the best, of the year because of the number and brightness of its meteors, along with the usually favourable viewing weather.
asserted
shower → consider → weather
The peak viewing night is Aug. 12-13, which is great news for meteor chasers: It coincides with a new moon, meaning there will be no pesky moonlight to interfere with faint meteors.
asserted
It → coincide → meteors
"The really cool thing this year is, I expect the Perseid grazers to be in full force," said Peter Brown, Canada Research Chair in Meteor Astronomy and a professor at Western University in London, Ont.
asserted
Brown → expect → London
These are Earth-grazers — meteors that enter Earth's atmosphere and then head back into space.
asserted
that → enter → space
They can be bright and fast, making them quite spectacular to see.
asserted
them → make → ?
(Note: The author saw an extremely bright Earth-grazer on the night of Aug. 3 from downtown Toronto.)
asserted
author → note → Toronto
"I think people should plan on getting out early.
asserted
people → think → ?
You can start seeing Perseids around 10 [p.m.] — 9.30," Brown said.
asserted
Brown → start → 10
"I would try to get out as soon as you can in that window because I bet this year people are going to get to see at least a handful of these bright grazers.
asserted
people → try → grazers
The shower is expected to peak around midnight Eastern Daylight Time, increasing the number of meteors visible each hour.
asserted
shower → expect → meteors
Brown said there could be upwards of 120 an hour.
uncertain
Brown → say → ?
That estimate assumes ideal conditions at a dark-sky location.
asserted
estimate → assume → location
Still, a higher overall rate increases the number people are likely to see.
asserted
people → increase → number
"You're not going to see 120, but you'll probably see a dozen or 20 in the early evening, and many of those will probably be bright," Brown said.
asserted
Brown → go → those
You don't have to wait until the peak night to see Perseids.
asserted
You → have → Perseids
The shower began July 17, and the number of visible meteors increases each night as the peak of Aug. 12-13 approaches.
asserted
peak → begin → Aug.
If the peak night is expected to be cloudy, consider observing in the days beforehand.
asserted
night → expect → days
"I focus on the night of the 12th, morning of the 13th — I mean, that is the best.
asserted
that → focus → 13th
But, you know, the 11th will probably be 80 per cent of the show," Brown said.
asserted
Brown → know → show
"If it looks like the weather is better on the Tuesday night, it is totally worth going out."
asserted
it → look → night
He also noted that, statistically, the meteors tend to be brighter the night before the peak.
asserted
meteors → note → peak
The first requirement for seeing as many meteors as possible is a clear sky.
asserted
requirement → see → meteors
If conditions co-operate, find the darkest location you can.
asserted
you → co → location
Stay off your phone: Its light will interfere with your eyes' adjustment to the dark.
asserted
light → stay → dark
Once outside, it can take more than half an hour for your eyes to adapt fully and allow you to see faint objects.
asserted
you → take → objects
The meteors' radiant — the point from which they appear to originate — lies in the constellation Perseus, which gives the shower its name.
asserted
which → appear → name
Perseus can be found low in the eastern sky after sunset and will rise higher throughout the night.
asserted
Perseus → find → night
But you don't have to face the constellation to see the meteors; they can streak across the entire sky.
asserted
they → have → sky
Those showers produce far fewer meteors at their peak — about 25 and five an hour, respectively — but they still increase your chances of seeing a "shooting star."
asserted
they → produce → star
There is also a minor shower called the kappa Cygnids, which produces about three meteors an hour at its peak.
asserted
which → be → peak
"So, you know, it's meteor Christmas," Brown said.
asserted
Brown → know → ?
While the total eclipse won't be visible from Canada, the moon will appear to take a small bite out of the sun.
asserted
moon → appear → sun
The farther east you are, the bigger the bite will appear.
asserted
bite → appear → ?
If you hope to see it, remember to do so carefully.
asserted
you → hope → it
"If you have the appropriate solar filters available, watching the sun be 'eaten' by the moon is very neat!" said Paul Delaney, an astronomer and professor emeritus in York University's department of physics and astronomy in Toronto.
asserted
Delaney → have → Toronto
A solar eclipse is a great way to see celestial motion of the Earth, moon and sun in action, he said.
asserted
he → see → action
