The right way to See the Perseid Meteor Bathe within the Bay Area

The darkest skies will arrive between when the solar units round 8:15 p.m. and the moon rises a few hours later, however meteor exercise is comparatively low throughout that window, in accordance with Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor on the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute.

Your finest wager? Aim for the pre-dawn hours after moonset, when the sky begins to darken once more, particularly between midnight and 5:00 a.m.

“It will be a tough year for stargazers,” Fraknoi stated. “But even with a bright moon, you might catch a few brilliant meteors, especially after midnight, when activity picks up.”

While the luminous full moon will restrict viewing of the meteors throughout their peak, Fraknoi stated it’s nonetheless value making an attempt to look at them. “It’s still possible to see an occasional meteor during the maximum time,” he stated.

As a cosmic bonus, Venus and Jupiter, the 2 brightest planets within the sky, will seem shut collectively simply earlier than daybreak on Aug. 12. Look to the jap sky between 5 and 6 a.m. to catch the planets rise facet by facet close to the horizon, which known as a conjunction.

Where to look at the Perseid meteor bathe within the Bay Area

For meteor recognizing, you need to select a darkish location away from metropolis lights.

Here are just a few standard darkish areas for watching meteor showers within the Bay Area:

• Henry Coe State Park, South Bay
• Tilden Park, East Bay
• Sunol Regional Wilderness, East Bay
• Mount Diablo, East Bay
• Skyline Boulevard, Peninsula
• Montara Beach, Peninsula
• Pescadero, Peninsula
• Point Reyes National Seashore, North Bay
• Bodega Bay, North Bay

In the North Bay, you could find miles of darkened skies from the agricultural coast eastward. But notice that fog in coastal areas may disrupt your views of the evening sky.

State parks, nationwide forests, and rural areas are additionally very best for evening sky watching. And when you’re trying to transcend the Bay Area, standard spots in California embody Pinnacles National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Read our ideas for locating a last-minute tenting reservation close to the Bay Area.

Where to look within the sky to see the Perseid meteor bathe

If you’re heading out to see the meteor bathe, be ready to be open air for at the least just a few hours. Bring a reclining chair or a blanket to lie on for consolation.