Shooting Stars in July: Up to 100 Fireballs Per Hour – When Are the Perseids Coming?

A meteor shower is a recurring phenomenon in which an increasing number of meteors, colloquially known as shooting stars, appear in the sky. These occur when the Earth passes through fields of cometary debris in its orbit around the Sun and the particles that enter the Earth's atmosphere burn up as fireballs.

The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most famous and largest meteors of the year. Named after the constellation Perseus, from which the meteors appear to come, the Perseids are particularly famous for their brightness and large number of shooting stars.

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The Perseids are active from mid-July to late August, with the peak typically occurring around August 12 to 14. During this time, under ideal conditions, up to 100 meteors per hour can be seen. The first signs of the Perseids can be seen as early as July 17, with the number of meteors visible increasing as the peak approaches. The spectacle continues until August 24.

To best observe the Perseids, dark skies away from urban light pollution are ideal. After midnight, look toward the northeast, where the constellation Perseus is rising. The chances of seeing many bright meteors are best, especially in the early morning hours before dawn.

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The Perseids originate from Comet Swift-Tuttle, whose orbit crosses Earth every year. Debris from this comet, mostly small dust particles, enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed and burn up. The high speed of about 59 kilometers per second (212,400 km/h) contributes to the Perseids' brightness and spectacular appearance.

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In addition to the Perseids, other meteor showers appear in July and enrich the night sky:

• Delta AquariusThis meteor shower is particularly active in the second half of July and peaks around July 28. The meteors appear to come from the constellation Aquarius and feature slow, long-period light trails. At a rate of about 20 meteors per hour, they are a worthy target. The Delta Aquarids come from Comet 96P/Machholz.
• Alpha Capricorn: Alpha Capricornis is also active in July, peaking around July 30. This stream has a relatively low rate of about 5 meteors per hour, but the meteors are often bright and spectacular. They appear to come from the constellation Capricornus, so are best viewed from the south. Alpha Capricornis is the remnant of comet 169P/NEAT.
• July the Cepheids: Less well known are the July Cepheids, which are active in the first half of July. This stream has low activity, but can occasionally produce bright meteors that appear to come from the constellation of Cepheus, originating from Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke.

• July Pegasides: The July Pegasids are also a lesser-known meteor shower that peaks around July 10. The meteors appear to come from the constellation Pegasus. With low activity of about three meteors per hour, they are less visible. The parent comet is C/1979 Y1 (Bradfield).

• Gamma Draconids: This meteor shower, which originates in the constellation Draco, peaks around July 28. Activity is also relatively low, but the meteors can be very bright.

The July pegasids and gamma dracons are not well studied, but they also contribute to the diversity of summer celestial events.