When to Watch Maine's Epic Meteor Shower

Get ready, Mainers! On August 12, you can catch the Perseid Meteor Shower, one of the few annual meteor showers. And this year promises to be epic!

According to Space Reference, this meteor shower is debris left behind from the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which NASA describes as a massive ball of ice and rock. Although the shower happens every year, the timing and duration are different. Don't miss out on this spectacular event in the skies.

The Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak on the night of August 12 into the early hours of August 13, 2024.

My son and I are absolutely fascinated by the sky, from comets to meteor showers. We love talking about space and the planets. It’s one of our favorite topics to explore together. We are even writing a book about a little boy who saved the stars.

This is totally up our alley, and I cannot wait to witness the magic show the sky will put on for us all!

(You may also like: Newly-Discovered Comet Visible in Maine Through July)

The folks at Space.com are expecting this year's shower to be spectacular. They believe that this year’s dark skies will give us a perfect view of the meteor shower:

2024 should be a good year for the Perseids as although the moon will be 50% illuminated, it will set at midnight, providing dark skies through the wee hours until dawn.

NASA says that during the Perseid peak, you might see up to 100 meteors per hour on average! Isn't that thrilling? It's such a rare opportunity to witness up to 100 shooting stars lighting up the sky above you. I'll have to pick my jaw up off the floor, for sure.

Send us your pictures and videos if you are able to catch this incredible show in our Maine skies!