Perseid meteor shower peaks this week, with dark skies nearby in Summit County

The Perseid meteor shower peaks overnight Aug. 12 into Aug. 13, offering stargazers a chance to catch dozens of meteors under dark skies across northern Utah. Photo: Clay Banks

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — The Perseid meteor shower reaches its annual peak this week, giving Summit County residents a chance to catch one of summer’s most reliable celestial shows from some of Utah’s darkest skies.

The Perseids are expected to peak overnight Wednesday, Aug. 12, into the early morning hours of Thursday, Aug. 13, according to NASA. This year’s timing is particularly favorable because the peak coincides with a new moon, meaning little to no moonlight will compete with the meteors.

Under dark, clear skies, viewers could see 50 to 100 meteors per hour during the peak, according to NASA. The Perseids occur as Earth travels through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. As those particles enter Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up and create streaks of light across the night sky.

Summit County has a prime viewing spot close to home at Rockport State Park, which was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2021.

Rockport’s location between the Wasatch and Uinta mountains helps protect its night sky from some of the light pollution found along the Wasatch Front. The park’s campgrounds are open, though day-use visitors should pay attention to park hours when planning late-night viewing.

Nearby Echo State Park is also leaning into the celestial event. The park has scheduled a Perseid meteor shower viewing party for Thursday, Aug. 13, beginning at 9:30 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to arrive around 7:30 p.m. for sunset, and representatives from the University of Utah’s physics and astronomy departments are scheduled to join the event.

Thursday’s gathering falls one night after the predicted peak, but the Perseids remain active well beyond the peak and can still produce strong viewing on surrounding nights.

Another nearby International Dark Sky Park is Jordanelle State Park, located just over the Summit County line in Wasatch County. Jordanelle and Rockport were both awarded International Dark Sky Park status in 2021.

The bigger question this week may be whether the clouds cooperate.

The current forecast for the Rockport area calls for a mix of clouds and sun Wednesday, with a chance of an afternoon thunderstorm and an overnight low in the upper 50s. Thursday is expected to be mostly cloudy, with another chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

Cloud cover could limit visibility during the meteor shower despite the otherwise favorable new-moon conditions, so stargazers should check the latest forecast before heading out.

NASA recommends viewing the Perseids from a dark location away from artificial lights and allowing about 20 to 30 minutes for eyes to adjust. No telescope or binoculars are needed. Viewers can simply look toward the darkest portion of the sky and watch for meteors overhead.