Perseid meteor shower returns to Michigan skies. Where and when to watch

• The Perseid meteor shower will be visible in Michigan. And while it will peak Aug. 12, moon cycles means this week may be best
• Stargazers could see up to 100 meteors per hour during the peak, especially between midnight and dawn under clear, dark skies
• Viewing is best away from city lights. Michigan has multiple dark sky parks to consider

The Perseid meteor shower has returned and could be visible in Michigan skies for the next few weeks. It’s one of the few summer meteor showers that can be seen without a telescope.

While only a few meteors may appear on most nights, activity is expected to peak on Aug. 12, when about 50 to 100 meteors per hour could be visible, according to NASA. 

However, stargazers may want to consider watching before then to avoid interference from the brightness of the sturgeon moon that will peak Aug. 9.

In particular, Tuesday is expected to be a great night for catching the Perseid meteor shower, thanks to the new moon. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the darker skies will create ideal conditions for stargazers.

What else could I see this week?

The skies could be especially active this week. Both the alpha Capricornids and the Southern Delta Aquariids are also expected to peak Wednesday night, according to the American Meteor Society. Those could produce another two or three meteors per hour, respectively. While they could be visible in Michigan, they are generally harder to see than the Perseids.

What is the Perseid meteor shower?

The meteors are fragments of rock or dust left by comets orbiting the sun. They become visible when they burn up about 60 miles above Earth’s surface.

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The Perseid meteor shower comes from Comet Swift-Tuttle, a massive comet that orbits the sun every 133 years. When the comet gets close to the sun, it sheds dust along its path.

As Earth crosses through this debris each year, the particles burn up in our atmosphere and create the meteor shower. The comet last came closest to the sun in 1992 and won’t do so again until 2125.

Where should I watch?

The best way to see the Perseids is to find a dark spot away from city lights, preferably in the countryside. 

While meteors can appear all across the sky, they typically radiate from the northern sky near the constellation Perseus. For the best experience, check the weather ahead of time and dress for cooler nighttime temperatures, since it may take a while to spot the meteors. 

The less cloud cover the better, and there's good news there: Tuesday night could be relatively clear across much of Michigan, according to the National Weather Service. 

If you're looking for a unique experience,  try visiting one of Michigan’s six state park dark sky preserves. The state is also home to three international dark sky parks and a designated dark sky sanctuary on Beaver Island.