Don’t miss the best meteor shower of the year!
This year’s Perseid meteor shower has begun, but don’t worry: you haven’t missed peak viewing time yet. The 2022 Perseid meteor shower is active between July 7 and August 24. Although its peak activity will be on August 12 and 13, you actually won’t get the best viewing conditions on those days.
Read on for the best times and places to catch the Perseid meteor shower in Seattle!
What is the Perseid Meteor Shower?
This incredible show is produced by the dust and debris trailing the comet Swift-Tuttle, which rounds the sun every 133 years. The streaks of light that we see in the sky are caused by the strike of the meteors on our atmosphere.
When is the best time to watch it?
Although typically you’ll want to look skyward when the Perseid meteor shower is at its peak, this year that happens to fall on the same days as August’s Sturgeon Moon. This full moon will be an extremely bright supermoon, which means that it will make it very hard (if not impossible) to see anything else in the sky for the majority of the night—including meteor showers. Since the full moon falls on August 11 and the Perseid meteor shower peaks on the August 12 and 13, it’s best to pick another night to view the shooting stars.
The best dates to see the Perseid meteor shower in Seattle this year are the nights of July 29 through 31. According to Forbes, this is the best window for catching the shooting stars because it’s before the full moon while still being close to the shower’s peak.
How can I watch it?
The key is to find a place away from pollution and bright lights. Experts also recommend adjusting to the dark 30 minutes before heading your eyes to the sky, this also means no peeking at your phone.
Keep in mind that this show happens only once every year, so it’s totally worth staying up!
What’s the best place to watch the Perseid meteor shower in Seattle?
We recommend going as far away from the city as possible. Great options are: