A meteor shower happens when Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by a comet. As a comet orbits the Sun, it sheds small particles of dust and ice, creating a debris field along its path.

The meteor shower itself, though, has been observed for 2,700 years ever since the first recorded sighting was made in 687 BC by the Chinese, according to NASA.

To best see the Lyrid meteor shower, Griffith Observatory's director suggests heading to the mountains or desert to get away from light pollution that can cloud the view. California will have some ...

Star trails and a meteor from the Perseid meteor shower are seen over Sutton Courtenay, a small village in Oxfordshire, in this undated image. William McCourt/Getty Images When: July 17 to Aug. 23 ...

First Meteor Shower Of 2025 Peaks Tonight—Here’s How To Watch By Ty Roush, Forbes Staff. Ty Roush is a breaking news reporter based in New York City.

The meteor shower has been going on all month, but shooting stars are expected to ramp up after midnight Friday and in the stretch of darkness before dawn, according to NASA.

Each major meteor shower has different peak rates at which its shooting stars fall. Some, like the Lyrids in April, see rates of about 15 to 20 meteors an hour.

A meteor, upper right, is pictured among airplane and satellite trails during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower in the sky above Allaman, Switzerland, late Monday, Aug. 12, 2024.

The Perseid meteor shower is active and visible annually from mid-July to late August. This year, the shower will peak between Aug. 11 and Aug. 13, climaxing on Aug. 12, with visibility a few days ...

The annual Perseid meteor shower — the most popular one of the year — has already begun, with the most shooting stars expected to fall around Aug. 11 as the shower reaches its peak.

The meteor society keeps an updated list of upcoming large meteor showers, including the peak viewing days and moonlight conditions. The next major meteor shower will be the Perseids, peaking in ...

Meteor showers offer some of the most spectacular celestial displays of the year, and 2025 promises an exciting lineup. To catch these dazzling events, knowing the best time, location, and viewing ...