Perseid meteor bathe phases remaining present in WA tonight, Aug. 22-23

One of essentially the most dazzling meteor showers of the yr is about to take a bow and exit stage left, however there’s nonetheless time for stargazers in Washington state to catch one final present.

The annual Perseid meteor bathe, which is understood for its abundance of taking pictures stars and spectacular fireballs, will remain active via Aug. 23. While the Perseids peaked on Aug. 12-13, a handful of taking pictures stars from this meteor bathe ought to nonetheless be seen through the darkest hours of the evening, in line with the American Meteor Society.

A darkish new moon and clear skies throughout Washington in a single day tonight, Aug. 22-23, ought to give skywatchers a very good alternative to catch the tail finish of the Perseids, as long as they’re keen to lose out on some sleep and get away from sources of sunshine air pollution comparable to vibrant metropolis lights.

Here’s a viewing information for the Perseids in Washington, together with darkish locations to catch the present and upcoming meteor showers to look out for as soon as the Perseids say goodbye.

Will or not it’s cloudy in Washington state tonight, Aug. 22-23?

Skies throughout Washington state are anticipated to be principally away from the kind of clouds that fully hinder views of the evening sky tonight, Aug. 22-23, in line with cloud forecasts supplied by the National Weather Service.

Sky cowl percentages in Western Washington, together with the better Seattle space, ranged from simply 3% to eight% at 2 a.m. Aug. 23, in line with NWS predictions. These are thought of wonderful situations for viewing the evening sky, in line with Space.com.

The image remained encouraging for Eastern Washington, the place sky cowl percentages ranged from 2% to eight%, together with 7% in Spokane.

What is one of the best time to view the Perseids?

The greatest time to view the Perseids is through the darkest hours of the evening, sometimes between 2 a.m. and daybreak, in line with the American Meteor Society.

Skywatchers don’t want particular tools, comparable to telescopes, to view the Perseid meteor bathe.

“All you need to watch a meteor shower is your eyes, patience, and a mostly cloud-free night,” in line with the Planetary Society. “Go out, get comfortable, and stare at the sky.”

Where are darkish sky locations in Washington?

Skywatchers can improve their probabilities of seeing taking pictures stars the farther away they’re from metropolis and suburban mild air pollution. Fortunately, Washington is understood for its many darkish sky parks and locations. These are a number of the greatest stargazing spots within the state, in line with Go Astronomy:

Where do meteors come from?

Meteors come from the damaged bits and items of comets and asteroids, in line with NASA. The Perseids come from the particles path left by the 109P/Swift-Tuttle comet, which takes 133 years to orbit the solar. As the Earth passes via the comet’s icy particles path yearly, particles crash into the environment and “disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky,” in line with NASA.

The place within the sky that the Perseids appear to return from is the constellation Perseus, which is the place the Perseid meteor bathe bought its identify, in line with NASA.

Where do meteors come from?

Meteors come from the damaged bits and items of comets and asteroids, in line with NASA. The Perseids come from the particles path left by the Swift-Tuttle comet, which takes 133 years to orbit the solar. As the Earth passes via the comet’s icy particles path yearly, particles crash into the environment and “disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky,” in line with NASA.

The place within the sky that the Perseids appear to return from is the constellation Perseus, which is the place the Perseid meteor bathe bought its identify, in line with NASA.

Fall meteor bathe will convey ‘fireball swarm’

The Orionids might be seen from Oct. 2 via Nov. 12. According to the American Meteor Society, the bathe will peak round Oct. 22-23. The power of this bathe varies from about 10 meteors per hour at its peak as much as round 75 in a powerful yr.

The Southern Taurids, in line with AMS, will run from round Oct. 13 to Nov. 27. There are two part and two peaks. The annual portion will peak round Oct. 14. But the “fireball swarm” will peak Nov. 4. This is a swarm yr. The complete bathe is fireball-heavy.

The Northern Taurids will begin round Oct. 13 and run till Dec. 1. The peak nights might be Nov. 8-9, and it working similtaneously the Southern Taurids results in elevated fireball reviews in October and November.

When is the subsequent full moon?

The subsequent full moon will happen at 11:08 a.m. PT on Sept. 7, 2025, in line with Time and Date.

When is the Perseid meteor bathe in 2026?

The Perseid meteor bathe is predicted to be lively from July 17 to Aug. 24, 2026, in line with the International Meteor Organization. In 2026, the Perseids will peak on Aug. 13 throughout a brand new darkish moon, a really favorable time to see taking pictures stars and fireballs within the evening sky.

Contributing: Bonnie Bolden, USA TODAY Network