Although the Perseid meteor shower’s peak has passed, the annual celestial event is not over. Yesterday, Wednesday, Aug. 12, the meteor shower peaked against a new moon, which offered a darker sky and better viewing.
Tonight, Thursday, Aug 13, the moon will still be less than 1% illuminated and the cloud cover forecast over Florida is mostly clear. Which means there is still a chance to see a few stunning shooting stars.
Here’s what phase the moon is in tonight, when the Perseid meteor shower will end and how to spot meteors from Florida.
What is the moon phase tonight?
Tonight, Thursday, Aug. 13, the moon will be less than 1% illuminated and in the waxing crescent phase, meaning the moon will produce very little light in the sky. This provides a better chance at spotting a few meteors, as the sky will be darker.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon, the Sturgeon Moon, will peak on Friday, Aug. 28, at 12:18 a.m. ET.
Here are the moon phases from Aug. 13 through the August full moon:
Is there a meteor shower right now? When the Perseid meteor shower ends
“The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower as they peak on warm August nights as seen from the northern hemisphere,” the American Meteor Society says.
The Perseid meteor shower activity began on July 17, and peaked late-night on Aug. 12 into the pre-dawn hours of Aug. 13.
“They reach a strong maximum on Aug. 12 or 13, depending on the year. Normal hourly rates seen from rural locations range from 30-50 shower members per hour at maximum,” according to the American Meteor Society.
Although the main peak has passed, the Perseids will still be visible through Monday, August 24.
What is the best time to watch the meteor shower tonight? Where, when to watch Perseids in Florida
In general, the best time to see meteors is between midnight and dawn. The Perseids have also been known to appear as early as 10 p.m. local time, according to NASA.
The moon being less than 1% illuminated tonight will help increase visibility, and the National Weather Service predicts mostly clear skies over Florida tonight, which gives viewers an even better chance at spotting a few meteors.
To spot the meteor shower, get as far away from light pollution as possible. The best place to do this is in Dark Sky locations.
There are three Dark Sky locations in Florida:
Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida
Lianna Norman is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, lotteries, rocket launches, Florida wildlife, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Is the Perseid meteor shower still visible from Florida? When it ends
Reporting by Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
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By Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
