Perseids 2025: How to watch the year's best meteor shower despite full moon? NASA's secret tips
The annual Perseids meteor shower will peak next week. But, it may not be as spectacular as in previous years. A full moon during the peak on August 12 and 13 will likely obscure the view. NASA warns that the bright moon will wash out fainter meteors. Skygazers might see fewer meteors than usual.
TIL Creatives Perseid meteor shower 2025 will peak on August 12–13, 2025, despite a nearly full Sturgeon Moon in the sky. The annual Perseids meteor shower will reach its peak next week but skygazers and space enthusiasts may be disappointed as astronomers say it won't be as visible as it has been in recent years. The Perseids shower is considered one of if not the best of the year, mainly due to it being summer in the northern hemisphere, when the skies tend to be clear (unless there's smoke) and the weather is warmer.A full moon is also expected during the peak — August 12 into the 13th — and will likely wash out the view, according to NPR.
Sky watchers might be facing a major obstacle in your attempt to observe this year's Perseid performance, namely, the moon. The Perseids remain one of the best meteor showers each year, but stargazers will have to deal with another bright object in the sky obscuring their view as the shower reaches its max in 2025, according to space agency NASA.
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NASA has warned that a waning gibbous Moon will brighten the skies as it rises on the nights of August 12 and 13, when Perseids are most active this year. Skywatchers in the Northern hemisphere could see fewer than half the number of meteors usually seen on a dark summer night during the shower's peak. 'The average person under dark skies could see somewhere between 40 and 50 Perseids per hour,' said Bill Cooke, lead for NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office. 'Instead, you're probably going to see 10 to 20 per hour or fewer, and that's because we have a bright Moon in the sky washing out the fainter meteors.'
"A few bright meteors may still be seen in the predawn hours, but viewing conditions are not ideal," NASA said.
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This year, the Perseids began on July 17, and it will be visible until August 23, NASA says. In an hour, one could see about 25 meteors. Characteristics of the Perseids include bright fireballs and long "wakes," the streak of light and color that follow meteors.While NASA recommends trying to catch a glimpse of the Perseids before dawn, you may be able to see some meteors as early as 10 p.m. They are most visible in the Northern Hemisphere.Though Perseids show up throughout the nighttime hours, the best chance to see them will be between midnight and dawn – or, even more specifically, 2 and 3 a.m. local time, according to NASA.
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'You're not going to see Perseids around suppertime,' Cooke said. 'You're going to have to go out later.'When you do venture out, aim for a safe, rural spot with a wide view of the sky. If you can see plenty of stars, chances are, you'll see Perseids – but remember Cooke's other piece of advice: 'Look anywhere but at the Moon.'Robert Lunsford, an observer with the American Meteor Society, recommends facing north and settling in."Don't go outside and stand," he told NPR. "You'll get really tired and bored quick. Get a nice lounge chair where you're comfortable."And be patient. "Sometimes you go 10, 15 minutes without seeing anything, and all of a sudden, four or five will show up in the same minute. So they're notorious for appearing in bunches like that," he said.
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The Perseid meteor shower may be an annual event for Earth, but the comet responsible for the meteors hasn't been near our planet in decades. The meteors are debris from the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which last visited our region of the solar system in 1992.As the Earth makes it way around the Sun, it passes through the debris trail left by the comet. These space remnants collide with our atmosphere and disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.Though the meteors are part of a comet's debris trail, they seem to radiate outward from the Perseus constellation. This is how the meteor shower got its name: Perseids.As comets orbit the sun, they leave a trail of dust and particles, including meteors, behind them. The Perseids meteors originate from the Swift-Tuttle comet, which has a nucleus of about 16 miles wide, and takes more than 130 years to circle the Sun.
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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Isro to launch 6,500 kg US-made communication satellite from India
After marking a humble beginning in the Indian space programme with a tiny rocket supplied by the United States, ISRO would launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the US in the next couple of months, the chairman of the space agency, V Narayanan said on Sunday. Following the historic launch of NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission onboard a GSLV-F16 rocket on July 30, ISRO would be launching another satellite for the United States, he said at an event near Chennai. Narayanan, who is also the secretary of Department of Space, was presented with the honorary degree of Doctor of Science, by the Governor of Maharashtra C P Radhakrishnan, during the 21st Convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur near Chennai. In his acceptance speech, Narayanan recalled that the ISRO was set up in 1963 and the country was 6-7 years behind advanced countries then. In the same year, a tiny rocket was donated by the United States marking the beginnings of the Indian Space Programme. "It was on November 21, 1963," he said. In 1975, through satellite data given by the US, ISRO demonstrated 'mass communication' by keeping 2,400 television sets across 2,400 villages of 6 Indian states, he said. "From that (kind of humble beginnings), the 30th of July was a historical day for the Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite. The costliest satellite ever built in the world. The L Band SAR payload from the USA and S Band payload provided by ISRO. The satellite was placed in orbit precisely by Indian launcher (GSLV). And today, we are shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries," Narayanan remarked. He noted that the team from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) lauded their counterparts in ISRO for the precision launch of the GSLV-F16/NISAR Mission. "In another couple of months, a country which received a tiny rocket from the United States, is going to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by America using our own launcher from Indian soil. What a significant growth it is," he noted. From a country which did not possess satellite technology 50 years back, ISRO has, to date, launched 433 satellites of 34 countries using its own launch vehicles, he said. Elucidating about the Indian space programme, he said, "Today, there are 55 applications where ISRO has been contributing for the welfare of the country. "It includes television broadcasting, telecommunication, weather forecasting, disaster warning and mitigation, navigation, ensuring food and water security.", he said. "Even during Operation Sindoor, we have ensured through our satellites, the safety and security of whatever possible of all the citizens of Bharat, we could contribute, we contributed," he remarked. Listing out some of the significant missions, he said with the Chandrayaan-1 mission, ISRO was able to identify water molecule on the surface of the moon, and through Chandrayaan-3 till date, no country has made soft landing on the south pole of the Moon. Referring to Russia's rocket mission of placing 34 satellites into orbit using a single launch vehicle, he said India broke that record by placing 104 satellites into the intended orbit using a single rocket. In 2017, ISRO scripted history by successfully launching 104 satellites, including India's weather observation Cartosat-2 Series, in a single mission onboard PSLV-C37 rocket. On the future launch missions planned by the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency, Narayanan said, currently there are 56 satellites orbiting the earth, serving the purpose of ISRO. The number of satellites would be increased '3xtimes' over the next 2-3 years. "We are going to have our own Gaganyaan programme (sending humans to space) and ISRO is also going to build its own space station by 2035. The Indian Space programme is really one of the outstanding programmes and by 2040 we will match all developed countries in terms of capability of all space programmes," he said. In his brief address, Radhakrishnan said, "Sincerity, hard work and patience are the true keys to success." "Challenges come to all, but it is overcoming them with determination that shapes your future," he said. Urging them to embrace lifelong learning, and to remain humble, he said, "With this spirit, the youth will lead India to become the world's foremost economic power by 2047." Ministry of Earth Sciences, Secretary, M Ravichandran was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science along with Narayanan. On the occasion, a total of 9,769 students -- 7,586 men and 2,183 women received their degrees. Additionally, 157 students who secured top ranks were honoured. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
ISRO to launch 6,500 kg US communication satellite
After marking a humble beginning in the Indian space programme with a tiny rocket supplied by the United States, ISRO would launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the US in the next couple of months, the chairman of the space agency, V Narayanan said on Sunday. ISRO's GSLV-F16 rocket carrying the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.(X/ISRO) Following the historic launch of NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission onboard a GSLV-F16 rocket on July 30, ISRO would be launching another satellite for the United States, he said at an event near Chennai. Narayanan, who is also the secretary of Department of Space, was presented with the honorary degree of Doctor of Science, by the Governor of Maharashtra C P Radhakrishnan, during the 21st Convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur near Chennai. In his acceptance speech, Narayanan recalled that the ISRO was set up in 1963 and the country was 6-7 years behind advanced countries then. In the same year, a tiny rocket was donated by the United States marking the beginnings of the Indian Space Programme. "It was on November 21, 1963," he said. In 1975, through satellite data given by the US, ISRO demonstrated 'mass communication' by keeping 2,400 television sets across 2,400 villages of 6 Indian states, he said. "From that (kind of humble beginnings), the 30th of July was a historical day for the Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite. The costliest satellite ever built in the world. The L Band SAR payload from the USA and S Band payload provided by ISRO. The satellite was placed in orbit precisely by Indian launcher (GSLV). And today, we are shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries," Narayanan remarked. He noted that the team from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) lauded their counterparts in ISRO for the precision launch of the GSLV-F16/NISAR Mission. "In another couple of months, a country which received a tiny rocket from the United States, is going to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by America using our own launcher from Indian soil. What a significant growth it is," he noted. From a country which did not possess satellite technology 50 years back, ISRO has, to date, launched 433 satellites of 34 countries using its own launch vehicles, he said. Elucidating about the Indian space programme, he said, "Today, there are 55 applications where ISRO has been contributing for the welfare of the country. "It includes television broadcasting, telecommunication, weather forecasting, disaster warning and mitigation, navigation, ensuring food and water security.", he said. "Even during Operation Sindoor, we have ensured through our satellites, the safety and security of whatever possible of all the citizens of Bharat, we could contribute, we contributed," he remarked. Listing out some of the significant missions, he said with the Chandrayaan-1 mission, ISRO was able to identify water molecule on the surface of the moon, and through Chandrayaan-3 till date, no country has made soft landing on the south pole of the Moon. Referring to Russia's rocket mission of placing 34 satellites into orbit using a single launch vehicle, he said India broke that record by placing 104 satellites into the intended orbit using a single rocket. In 2017, ISRO scripted history by successfully launching 104 satellites, including India's weather observation Cartosat-2 Series, in a single mission onboard PSLV-C37 rocket. On the future launch missions planned by the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency, Narayanan said, currently there are 56 satellites orbiting the earth, serving the purpose of ISRO. The number of satellites would be increased '3xtimes' over the next 2-3 years. "We are going to have our own Gaganyaan programme (sending humans to space) and ISRO is also going to build its own space station by 2035. The Indian Space programme is really one of the outstanding programmes and by 2040 we will match all developed countries in terms of capability of all space programmes," he said. In his brief address, Radhakrishnan said, "Sincerity, hard work and patience are the true keys to success." "Challenges come to all, but it is overcoming them with determination that shapes your future," he said. Urging them to embrace lifelong learning, and to remain humble, he said, "With this spirit, the youth will lead India to become the world's foremost economic power by 2047." Ministry of Earth Sciences, Secretary, M Ravichandran was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science along with Narayanan. On the occasion, a total of 9,769 students -- 7,586 men and 2,183 women received their degrees. Additionally, 157 students who secured top ranks were honoured.
News18
3 hours ago
- News18
ISRO to launch 6,500 kg US communication satellite
Chennai, Aug 10 (PTI) After marking a humble beginning in the Indian space programme with a tiny rocket supplied by the United States, ISRO would launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the US in the next couple of months, the chairman of the space agency, V Narayanan said on Sunday. Following the historic launch of NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission onboard a GSLV-F16 rocket on July 30, ISRO would be launching another satellite for the United States, he said at an event near Chennai. Narayanan, who is also the secretary of Department of Space, was presented with the honorary degree of Doctor of Science, by the Governor of Maharashtra C P Radhakrishnan, during the 21st Convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur near Chennai. In his acceptance speech, Narayanan recalled that the ISRO was set up in 1963 and the country was 6-7 years behind advanced countries then. In the same year, a tiny rocket was donated by the United States marking the beginnings of the Indian Space Programme. 'It was on November 21, 1963," he said. In 1975, through satellite data given by the US, ISRO demonstrated 'mass communication' by keeping 2,400 television sets across 2,400 villages of 6 Indian states, he said. 'From that (kind of humble beginnings), the 30th of July was a historical day for the Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite. The costliest satellite ever built in the world. The L Band SAR payload from the USA and S Band payload provided by ISRO. The satellite was placed in orbit precisely by Indian launcher (GSLV). And today, we are shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries," Narayanan remarked. He noted that the team from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) lauded their counterparts in ISRO for the precision launch of the GSLV-F16/NISAR Mission. 'In another couple of months, a country which received a tiny rocket from the United States, is going to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by America using our own launcher from Indian soil. What a significant growth it is," he noted. From a country which did not possess satellite technology 50 years back, ISRO has, to date, launched 433 satellites of 34 countries using its own launch vehicles, he said. Elucidating about the Indian space programme, he said, 'Today, there are 55 applications where ISRO has been contributing for the welfare of the country. 'It includes television broadcasting, telecommunication, weather forecasting, disaster warning and mitigation, navigation, ensuring food and water security.", he said. 'Even during Operation Sindoor, we have ensured through our satellites, the safety and security of whatever possible of all the citizens of Bharat, we could contribute, we contributed," he remarked. Listing out some of the significant missions, he said with the Chandrayaan-1 mission, ISRO was able to identify water molecule on the surface of the moon, and through Chandrayaan-3 till date, no country has made soft landing on the south pole of the Moon. Referring to Russia's rocket mission of placing 34 satellites into orbit using a single launch vehicle, he said India broke that record by placing 104 satellites into the intended orbit using a single rocket. In 2017, ISRO scripted history by successfully launching 104 satellites, including India's weather observation Cartosat-2 Series, in a single mission onboard PSLV-C37 rocket. On the future launch missions planned by the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency, Narayanan said, currently there are 56 satellites orbiting the earth, serving the purpose of ISRO. The number of satellites would be increased '3xtimes' over the next 2-3 years. 'We are going to have our own Gaganyaan programme (sending humans to space) and ISRO is also going to build its own space station by 2035. The Indian Space programme is really one of the outstanding programmes and by 2040 we will match all developed countries in terms of capability of all space programmes," he said. In his brief address, Radhakrishnan said, 'Sincerity, hard work and patience are the true keys to success." 'Challenges come to all, but it is overcoming them with determination that shapes your future," he said. Urging them to embrace lifelong learning, and to remain humble, he said, 'With this spirit, the youth will lead India to become the world's foremost economic power by 2047." Ministry of Earth Sciences, Secretary, M Ravichandran was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science along with Narayanan. On the occasion, a total of 9,769 students — 7,586 men and 2,183 women received their degrees. Additionally, 157 students who secured top ranks were honoured. PTI VIJ VIJ ROH view comments First Published: August 10, 2025, 19:30 IST News agency-feeds ISRO to launch 6,500 kg US communication satellite Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
