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Stargazers can soon spot a popular meteor shower in the night sky above California — if conditions are right.
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The Perseid meteor shower is considered the “best meteor shower of the year,” according to NASA.
However, you’ll get the best views in areas with clear skies and low light pollution.
Here’s how visible the Perseids could be where you live:
When is the Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August, is the “most popular meteor shower of the year,” according to NASA.
“With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere,” the space agency said.
The meteor shower produces up to 50 to 100 meteors per hour.
“They occur with warm summer nighttime weather, allowing sky watchers to comfortably view them, NASA said.
The Perseid meteor shower is also known for its fireballs — explosions of light and color that last longer than a typical meteor streak.
What are best times to watch the meteor shower?
Although the Perseids are active until Monday, Aug. 24, the meteor shower reaches its peak on Wednesday, Aug. 12, and Thursday, Aug. 13, according to the American Meteor Society.
“In 2026, the moon is new on Aug. 12, so conditions are optimum for viewing this shower,” the society said.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the best times to view the Perseids are during the pre-dawn hours, NASA said.
Yahoo! Travel named Joshua Tree National Park as one of the best places in the United States to watch the Perseid meteor shower.
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Although the national park is near Los Angeles, it has “significantly less light pollution” than surrounding cities, as well as, minimal haze and a dry climate, the travel news site said.
What will the weather be like during the meteor shower?
Parts of California will experience clear skies when the Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak, according to forecasters.
According to the National Weather Service’s current forecast for Sacramento, the City of Trees will be “partly cloudy” on Wednesday night with conditions clearing to “mostly clear” Thursday night.
AccuWeather’s forecast called for 25% cloud coverage on Wednesday.
Conditions will be similar in Modesto, according to the weather service’s latest forecast.
The National Weather Service forecast for Fresno calls for a 10% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Wednesday.
After that, conditions will be partly cloudy, with skies fully clearing by Thursday night. Merced will see partly cloudy skies, the weather service said.
Partly cloudy weather will hit San Luis Obispo County on Wednesday and Thursday nights as the cloud will cover more than 65% of the sky for two nights, according to AccuWeather.
Where are the best places to stargaze?
For the best views of the Perseid meteor shower, head away from the city.
The forecast is expected to be similar throughout Central and Northern California during the meteor shower.
The ideal stargazing locations offer “unobstructed views of the horizon,” National Geographic said.
“Mountains, moorlands, deserts and remote islands are good choices,” the publication said, “thanks to their isolation, clear conditions and lack of light pollution.”
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