When is the Perseid meteor shower 2027?
The Perseids peak on August 13, 2027
Peak Aug 13, 09:00 UT. ZHR 110+, Moon 87% lit at the peak. From New York, the best window is 2:20 am–5:00 am on the night of Thursday, August 12–13. Pick your city for its own times.
Best time to watch
computed for each cityAt 4:50 am the radiant in Perseus is 65° up; the radiant is already up at nightfall. Moon 86% lit, sets 2:20 am. Dark sky 9:10 pm–5:00 am.
| Night | Best time | Meteors per hour* |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Aug 10–11 | 2:20 am–5:00 am | 40 |
| Wed, Aug 11–12 | 2:20 am–5:00 am | 60 |
| Thu, Aug 12–13 peak | 2:20 am–5:00 am | 100 |
| Fri, Aug 13–14 | 3:00 am–5:00 am | 60 |
| Sat, Aug 14–15 | 4:00 am–5:10 am | 40 |
* Estimated meteors per hour at the best time from a dark site under a clear sky (ZHR × radiant height × Moon). From a town expect a third or less. Rates vary from year to year; weather is not forecast.
City by city
The best night and window for the Perseids in our biggest cities, local time.
| City | Best night | Best time (local) | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:20 am–5:00 am | 100 |
| Los Angeles | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:40 am–5:20 am | 90 |
| Chicago | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:10 am–4:50 am | 100 |
| Houston | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 3:20 am–6:00 am | 90 |
| Phoenix | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:10 am–5:00 am | 90 |
| Philadelphia | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:30 am–5:10 am | 100 |
| Jacksonville | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 3:20 am–6:00 am | 90 |
| Columbus | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 3:00 am–5:40 am | 100 |
| Charlotte | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 3:10 am–5:50 am | 100 |
| Indianapolis | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 3:10 am–6:00 am | 100 |
| Seattle | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:00 am–4:50 am | 100 |
| Denver | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:20 am–5:10 am | 100 |
| London | Thu 12–13 Aug | 1:40 am–4:20 am | 90 |
| Birmingham | Thu 12–13 Aug | 1:40 am–4:20 am | 90 |
| Glasgow | Thu 12–13 Aug | 1:20 am–4:00 am | 90 |
| Manchester | Thu 12–13 Aug | 1:40 am–4:20 am | 90 |
| Toronto | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:30 am–5:10 am | 100 |
| Montréal | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:00 am–4:40 am | 100 |
| Calgary | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:00 am–5:00 am | 100 |
| Ottawa | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:10 am–4:50 am | 100 |
| Sydney | Wed 11–12 Aug | Radiant below the horizon | – |
| Melbourne | Wed 11–12 Aug | Radiant below the horizon | – |
| Brisbane | Fri 13–14 Aug | 4:30 am–5:30 am | 7 |
| Perth | Thu 12–13 Aug | 5:50 am–6:10 am | under 1 |
| Dublin | Thu 12–13 Aug | 1:50 am–4:30 am | 90 |
| Auckland | Wed 11–12 Aug | Radiant below the horizon | – |
* Estimated meteors per hour at the best time from a dark site under a clear sky (ZHR × radiant height × Moon). From a town expect a third or less. Rates vary from year to year; weather is not forecast.
About the Perseids
The Perseids are the summer favourite in the northern hemisphere: about 100 an hour at the peak from a dark site, warm nights, and the radiant in Perseus is up all night from mid-northern latitudes, highest before dawn. From the southern hemisphere they are low or not visible.
IMO: the nodal maximum is expected on August 13 between 08h and 10h UT, ZHR 110+, with a waxing Moon.
Parent body: comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Active Jul 17–Aug 24. Radiant in Perseus; northern hemisphere.
How to watch
- Get dark. Away from street lights the count can triple.
- Lie back and look about halfway up, toward the darkest part of the sky. You do not need to face the radiant.
- Give it time. Meteors come in clumps; watch for at least 30–60 minutes after your eyes adapt.
- Check the clouds with your local forecast: we do not forecast weather.
Questions
When is the Perseid meteor shower 2027?
The Perseids are active Jul 17–Aug 24, with the peak Aug 13, 09:00 UT (International Meteor Organization). The best night for you depends on where the peak falls in your local night; the city picker on this page works it out.
What time is best to see the Perseids?
From New York, 2:20 am–5:00 am on the night of Thursday, August 12–13, when the radiant is 65° up. In general, when the radiant is highest in a dark sky, which for most showers is after midnight.
How many Perseids will I see per hour?
The IMO lists a ZHR of 110+: the rate under a perfect sky with the radiant overhead. From a dark site near New York at the best time, expect about 100 an hour; from a town, a third or less. These are estimates: real rates vary.
Will the Moon affect the Perseids?
The Moon is 87% lit at the peak. It will hide fainter meteors while it is up; the table shows when it rises or sets for your city.
Where should I look for the Perseids?
Anywhere: meteors appear all over the sky, they only trace back to the radiant in Perseus. Look about halfway up, away from the Moon and city lights, and give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt.
Other meteor showers
Dates, peak times, ZHR and radiant positions: International Meteor Organization, Meteor Shower Calendar 2026 and 2027 (J. Rendtel, ed.), working list of visual meteor showers. Where the IMO gives no peak time, it is the moment the Sun reaches the listed solar longitude. Darkness, Moon and radiant height computed with Skyfield and JPL DE440. Hourly rates are our estimates from the ZHR and are uncertain; real rates vary from year to year. We do not forecast clouds.