August 11, 2024
How to watch the Perseid meteor shower live online this week
Conditions look great for this year's Perseid meteor shower so why not sit back, relax and enjoy the show! The Perseid meteor shower peaks overnight on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12, the best time to look for Perseids is in the predawn hours.
If you are unable to look for Perseids in person, check out these two free livestreams hosted by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project. The livestreams will use the project's all-sky camera, giving you a front-seat view of the dark skies over Maciano, Italy, weather permitting of course.
The first livestream will begin at 9 p.m. EDT on Aug. 11 (0100 GMT on Aug. 12,) the second will begin at 9 p.m. EDT on Aug. 12 (0100 GMT on Aug. 13) coinciding with the anticipated peak activity of the Perseid meteor shower. You can watch all the action unfold here on Space.com courtesy of the Virtual Telescope Project, or directly on their WebTV page or YouTube channel. Image Credit: Every year, Earth passes through the path of Comet Swift-Tuttle. With the Perseid meteor shower's peak occurring when Earth passes through the densest, dustiest area. (Image credit: Future)
The Perseids appear from approximately the direction of the Northern Hemisphere constellation Perseus.
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