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Meteor Showers

Will you be able to see the next meteor shower?19 days until Perseids peak

Meteor Shower peak dates are based on local times in San Francisco... change

Aug 12–13, 2021Peak in San FranciscoPerseidsNorthern Hemisphere (Best)

Oct 7–8, 2021Peak in San FranciscoDraconidsNorthern Hemisphere (Best)

Peak night dates are based on local time for San Francisco. Please note that this does not guarantee visibility. Visibility is based on a variety of factors including weather and astronomical conditions. See meteor shower animation to find out visibility conditions for viewing the meteor shower from your location.

New Meteor Shower Interactive Sky Map

The Interactive Meteor Shower Sky Map shows the position of the radiant in the night sky above any location. Click and drag to explore other parts of the sky.

Meteor Shower Calendar

When is the next meteor shower? Can you see it from your location? Local times and best dates to view shooting stars from annual meteor showers.

2021 Cosmic Calendar

Celestial events and highlights of 2021 and 2022 including supermoons, solar and lunar eclipses, meteor showers, solstices, and equinoxes.

A man's silhouette with the milky way and a meteor in the backdrop.

Meteors: How to See

Dates and tips on how and where to see shooting stars from meteor showers all over the world.

What are Asteroids?

Learn more about these space rocks orbiting the Sun.

Planet Sizes and Order

How large are the planets and what is their order from the Sun?

Distance, Brightness, and Apparent Size of Planets

See how far the planets are from the Sun or Earth, how bright they look, and their apparent size in the sky.

The Sky Tonight

Which planets are visible in the night sky from your location.

Astronomy Glossary - Terms & definitions

Astronomical Glossary - Terms & Definitions

What do astronomers really mean when they use those technical terms?