Perseid meteor shower hits peak: How to watch in India
What's the story
The Perseid meteor shower has reached its peak, offering a spectacular celestial show for skywatchers across India. The event is especially exciting this year as it coincides with a New Moon phase, ensuring minimal moonlight interference and optimal conditions to witness these shooting stars. The Perseids are known for their bright meteors and are one of the most popular meteor showers observed annually.
Optimal conditions
Meteor shower active since mid-July
The Perseid meteor shower has been active since mid-July and will continue until August 23. However, the best views are expected this week.
Under ideal dark-sky conditions, the shower can produce up to 100 meteors per hour.
The actual number of visible meteors will depend on factors like weather, light pollution, and the radiant's height in the sky.
Skywatching tips
Peak viewing window in early morning hours
For Indian viewers, the peak viewing window is in the early morning hours of August 13-14, mainly between 1:00am and 4:00am IST.
This is when the constellation Perseus rises higher in the northeastern sky, increasing meteor counts.
Darker rural areas or elevated locations will provide a better view away from city light pollution.
Viewing spots
Best places to watch the meteor shower in India
To get the best view of the Perseid meteor shower, it's recommended to head to places with dark skies.
City lights can obscure many meteors, so remote locations are ideal.
In India, some of the best places include Ladakh, Spiti Valley, hilly areas of Uttarakhand, and darker desert regions in Rajasthan.
Remote parts of Northeast India are also good viewing spots.