If you love watching for shooting stars, tonight will be one of the best nights to see one of three summer meteor showers that are happening now in Georgia's skies.
Tonight is not only the last day of visibility for the Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower and the Alpha Capricornids, but will be the start of the peak nights to see the Perseid.
What is a meteor shower?
As NASA explains it, a meteor is a piece of rock or other debris in Space that enters Earth's atmosphere at high speeds and burns up, causing that bright streak you see across the sky. If it survives the trip and hits the ground, the meteor is considered a meteorite.
Meteor showers occur annually or at regular intervals as Earth passes through the trail of dusty debris left by a comet and, in a few cases, asteroids.
Is a meteor and a comet the same?
No, meteors and comets are not the same. Comets are balls of ice, rock, frozen gas, and dust that orbit the Sun. So you have the chance to see the exact same comet your grandparents saw years ago. You may see the same meteor shower, but you'll never see the exact same meteor in the sky.
What is the peak time for seeing the Perseid Meteor Shower?
The Perseid Meteor Shower's peak is Aug. 12-13 with visibility starting as early as 10 p.m. The Old Farmer's Almanac says, at first, you'll probably only see a meteor every 4 or 5 minutes. But if you can stay up until midnight or 1 a.m., you may see a meteor every minute.
Where are the best dark sky places in Georgia? Find a great spot to see the night sky
Go Astronomy lists some of the best places for seeing the night sky without light pollution in Georgia. Here are some of their recommendations:
Brasstown Bald among the Blue Ridge Mountains
Cohutta Wilderness in Cisco
Cooper's Creek in the Chattahoochee National Forest
Cumberland Island National Seashore in St. Marys
Fort Mountain State Park in Chatsworth
Hamburg State Park in Mitchell
Kolomoki Mounds State Park in Blakely
Moccasin Creek State Park in Clarkesville
Okefenokee Wildlife Reserve in Folkston
Popcorn Overlook in Clayton
Providence Canyon State Park in Lumpkin
Seminole State Park in Donalsonville
Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo
Space Connect reporter Eric Lagatta contributed to this report.
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: When, where to watch 2025 Perseid meteor shower in Georgia
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