Meteor shower Perseids 2027 Returns 17 July

Perseid meteor shower 2027

The Perseids return on 17 July and peak on the night of 12 to 13 August 2027. From New York the best time that night is about 04:20 EDT, with up to 90 meteors an hour from a dark site.

Open the live sky for your town The peak night around the world

The peak night around the world

The best time to watch on the peak night in twelve cities, each worked out for that city's own sky, with the meteors an hour you can expect from a dark site and where the Moon is at that time. Times are local.

The Perseids peak night in 12 cities: the local date, the best time, meteors an hour from a dark site and the Moon at that time
Place	Peak night	Best time	Meteors an hourfrom a dark site	Moon then
LondonUnited Kingdom	12–13 Aug	03:15 BST	up to 80	85% lit, down
New YorkUnited States	12–13 Aug	04:20 EDT	up to 90	87% lit, down
Los AngelesUnited States	12–13 Aug	04:40 PDT	up to 78	87% lit, down
TorontoCanada	12–13 Aug	04:25 EDT	up to 90	87% lit, down
SydneyAustralia	12–13 Aug	03:50 AEST	4 to 5	82% lit, down
DelhiIndia	12–13 Aug	04:20 IST	up to 72	84% lit, down
TokyoJapan	13–14 Aug	03:20 JST	up to 62	89% lit, down
BerlinGermany	12–13 Aug	03:10 CEST	up to 77	85% lit, down
RomeItaly	12–13 Aug	04:25 CEST	up to 82	85% lit, down
JohannesburgSouth Africa	12–13 Aug	05:20 SAST	up to 12	85% lit, down
São PauloBrazil	12–13 Aug	05:15 BRT	up to 17	87% lit, down
DubaiUnited Arab Emirates	12–13 Aug	04:30 GST	up to 73	84% lit, down

Peak night in New York, hour by hour

Shower meteors an hour you can expect from a dark site through the peak night, after allowing for the radiant's height, twilight and the Moon. A suburb shows roughly a third to a half of that, a city centre roughly a tenth to a fifth.

Where to look

The Perseid radiant lies in Perseus, not far from the W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia. From New York, at the best time on the peak night, 04:20, it is 62° up in the north-east. Face that way and look about halfway up.

Perseids appear anywhere. Near the radiant they are short; far from it they leave long trails. Trace any of them back and it points to Perseus, just below the W of Cassiopeia.
Give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt to the dark, and keep your phone on the Meteor Tracker's red-light field mode.
Lie back on a reclining chair rather than craning your neck. No telescope or binoculars needed.
Watch for at least half an hour. Meteors come in bursts, with quiet spells in between.

About the Perseids

Every July and August, Earth runs through the dust of comet Swift–Tuttle. The grains hit the air at about 59 km/s, and the Perseids are rich in bright meteors and fireballs, many of them leaving glowing trains that hang in the sky for a second or two.

The radiant sits in Perseus, not far from the W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia. It is far north in the sky, so from the UK, Europe and most of North America it never sets: it is low in the north-east in the evening and climbs high in the east before dawn, which is when the most meteors fall. Warm nights make the Perseids the most watched shower of the year in the north; from the southern hemisphere the radiant stays low and far fewer meteors show.

Comet Swift–Tuttle is about 26 km across and goes round the Sun every 133 years. It last passed the Sun in 1992 and is next due in 2126, and in the years after its last return the Perseids put on strong displays. The shower is one of the most reliable of the year, with up to about 100 an hour at the peak under a perfect sky. For the shower's story and how to watch it, read our Perseids explainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Perseid meteor shower 2027?

The Perseids are active from 17 July to 24 August 2027 and peak on the night of 12 to 13 August. The nights either side of the peak are nearly as good, and the hours before dawn are best every night.

What time is best to watch the Perseids?

From New York on the peak night, about 04:20 EDT, with up to 90 meteors an hour from a dark site. The radiant is highest in the hours before dawn, so that is when most meteors fall.

Where do I look for the Perseids?

Face north-east and look about halfway up: from New York at 04:20 the radiant is 62° up, in the north of Perseus, not far from the W of Cassiopeia. Perseids can appear anywhere in the sky, and those far from the radiant leave the longest trails.

How many Perseids will I see?

At the peak, from a dark site in New York, up to 90 meteors an hour, nearly all of them Perseids. From a suburb expect up to 41, and from a city centre up to 18. Rates are lower before midnight, while the radiant is low.

Will the Moon affect the Perseids in 2027?

Not much. The Moon is 87% lit on the peak night, but from New York it sets at 02:16, so the sky is dark at the best time.

What time will the UK see the Perseids?

On the peak night, 12 to 13 August, the best time is about 03:15 in London, 03:00 in Manchester and 02:20 in Edinburgh (BST), with up to 80 meteors an hour from a dark site. The Moon is 85% lit but sets at 01:12, so the sky is dark at the best time.

What causes the Perseid meteor shower?

Dust from comet Swift–Tuttle, a ball of ice and rock about 26 km across that goes round the Sun every 133 years and last passed it in 1992. Earth runs through its stream from mid-July to late August, and the grains hit the air at 59 km/s, so many Perseids are bright and leave glowing trains.

Forecast for New York, worked out for the 2027 peak from the positions of the Sun, the Moon and the Perseid radiant. Type your town into the Meteor Tracker for your own times. Last updated: 13 November 2026.

Live Moon globeMoonlight hides faint meteors: check the Moon's phase right now on the live Moon globe.Open the globe

Plan around the Moon: tonight's moonrise and moonset times for your town are on Moonrise Tonight.