It’s Here! The Best Meteor Show of 2023 , How to View It in Texas

The Perseid Meteor Shower

For nearly a month, this annual light show in the sky has already been occurring. The Perseid Meteor Shower happens every summer from about mid-July to the first of September.

However, the peak of the 'shooting stars' takes place for a few late nights/early mornings in mid-August. That time is practically here.

Primetime Viewing

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings from midnight until just before sunrise will be the optimum times for viewing. If you can't stay up that late or wake up that early, you should still see some amazing meteor activity during the late evening hours.

But, if you can view the event during the most favorable window, you could be treated to anywhere from 40-100 'falling stars' an hour. The Perseids are known to be colorful, and they often leave glowing trails in the sky. If you are looking for the best one night to view, that would be Sunday morning between midnight and 6 a.m.

2023 Will Top 2022

Last year, the peak viewing nights and times for the Perseids coincided with a full moon which brightened the sky and made searching for meteors tough. This year, the moon will be in its waning crescent phase which will give us a much darker backdrop than in 2022

The Best Way to Watch 'Em

• Try to find a dark location away from the light pollution of a town or city or neighborhood
• Lie on your back and just look up. Some folks will place a blanket on the hood of their vehicle, the bed of their pickup, or on the ground. Just watch out for bugs if you do the latter.
• You may need mosquito repellent if you're near a body of water.
• Leave your phone inside, looking at the screen even on a low-light setting will cause you to take time to readjust your eyes when looking back at the sky.
• Most of the activity may come from the northeastern part of the sky, but there is really no need to focus on a specific area of the sky, as long as you're looking up, you should be able to observe numerous meteors.

Fun Fact

Q: When you see that meteor streaking across the sky, approximately how far away is it from you?

A: About the distance from Lufkin to Henderson, or about 60 miles.