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A popular meteor shower is set to reach its peak soon in the night sky — and one of the best places to view it is in California.
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Yahoo! News singled out five “spectacular places” to watch the Perseid meteor shower.
That includes a national park in California.
Considered the “best meteor shower of the year,” the Perseid meteor shower is also the most popular, according to NASA.
Here’s where to go for the best views of the Perseid meteor shower in 2026:
What makes Perseid meteor shower so popular?
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.
When are best times to watch Perseids in 2026?
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.
Where’s the best place to see shooting stars in California?
Yahoo! Travel named Joshua Tree National Park in San Bernardino County as one of the best places in the United States to watch the Perseid meteor shower this summer.
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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.
The national park offers activities including hiking, biking, birding and rock climbing, according to the National Park Service.
With a total of 500 campsites available at five campgrounds, visitors can book overnight stays to observe the night skies.
Joshua Tree is among a handful of stargazing destinations in California officially recognized as “international dark sky places.”
Dark Sky International Park certifies areas around that world that “preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education,” the nonprofit organization said on its website..
Where are top five places to view meteor shower?
Yahoo! News showcased a total of five places where visitors can find stellar views of the Perseid meteor shower in 2026:
- Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
- Badlands National Park, South Dakota
- Black Mesa State Park, Oklahoma
- Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania
- Joshua Tree National Park
All five have been recognized as international dark sky places.
Where are the best places to stargaze?
If you can’t make it to Joshua Tree National Park, there are other ways to catch a glimpse of shooting stars and fireballs in the night sky.
For the best views of shooting stars, planets and more, head away from the city.
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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