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How to See Major Meteor Showers

The bright streaks of a meteor shower appear in the sky when the debris and dust of a broken comet pass through Earth's atmosphere. Although meteors enter the Earth's atmosphere every day, most are unseen because they are small and not part of a major event. Major meteor showers occur at various times throughout the year and some provide a bigger show than others.

Things You'll Need

  • Blanket or chair
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Instructions

    • 1

      Review a schedule of upcoming major meteor showers and decide which one you want to see. There are about nine major meteor showers every year, including Perseids, Orionids and Leonids, and some last several days. Check out NASA's Asteroid Watch website, which provides a meteor shower schedule and additional details about each event.

    • 2

      Check the weather report the day before the meteor shower you plan to watch. You need clear skies to see a meteor shower, so if the forecast calls for a cloudy evening you may need to wait until the next night.

    • 3

      Bring a chair or blanket to sit or lie on, as you will be looking up at the sky for at least a couple of hours. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing if the forecast calls for cold weather.

    • 4

      Find a location far away from city lights and as rural as possible to get the best view of the meteor shower. The darker the environment, the better you will be able to see the individual meteors pass through Earth's atmosphere.

    • 5

      Make sure to find your spot by midnight, as major meteor showers usually take place between midnight and dawn. On average you will see about 40 meteors per hour. Perseids is one of the largest meteor showers, with about 100 meteors an hour during its peak.

    • 6

      Look straight up into the sky for the meteors' streaks of light. It's best to look in areas further away from the moon, as the light reflecting off of it can hide some of the smaller and dimmer meteors.


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