Perseid peak tonight: How to catch the shooting stars!

Perseid peak tonight: How to catch the shooting stars!

On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, August 12, 2025, star lovers can look forward to a spectacular celestial spectacle: the Perseids will once again pass across our night sky. This well-known meteor event attracts numerous spectators every year and ensures that the stars shine brightly in the sky. As the HNA Reportedly, the Perseids are formed when Earth crosses the orbit of Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The comet leaves behind tiny dust particles that burn up in the Earth's atmosphere and become brightly visible as shooting stars.

The Perseid radiant is located in the constellation Perseus, and the phenomenon's visibility extends from mid-July to late August. It will be particularly exciting on the nights of August 12th and 13th, when the maximum is reached WAA notes. With a maximum hourly zenith rate (ZHR) of up to 100 meteors per hour, conditions could be perfect - provided you can find a dark place without much light pollution.

Best conditions for observation

Early risers have the best chance of seeing the Perseids around 3 a.m., when the spectacle could be particularly impressive. However, the full moon, which recently appeared in splendor on August 9, could affect the visibility of the meteors as it rises around 10 p.m. A good tip for all sky watchers: The direction of view is not necessarily crucial. If you place the night lounger well, you will also have the opportunity to marvel at different types of shooting stars from different perspectives.

The Astro Association website also highlights that the average entry speed of meteors is 59 km/s. It is helpful to prepare for the observation with a simple tripod and a camera. Long exposure times and a high ISO value help to best capture these fantastic natural phenomena.

The big dust dance game

The Perseids are considered one of the most popular meteor showers and bring not only weak meteors, but also occasionally very bright meteors that can reach the brightness of the star Vega. These “balls of fire” were particularly noticeable in the first days of August and are very popular among sky watchers. However, the maximum could be a small "total failure" in 2025, some astronomers warn, given the unfavorable conditions expected after the full moon. Regardless, it's worth keeping your eyes on the sky - the chances of tracking one or two of the fascinating Perseids remain high.

Overall, the atmosphere around such celestial events is indescribable. Maybe you'll soon find yourself spending the evening in nature with friends, admiring the spectacle and hoping for a shooting star so you can make a wish. The Rothwesten Observatory is also open on Saturdays when the sky is clear, which adds extra fun to the occasion and could enhance the joy of observing.