Perseids 2026: the moon at peak

Aug 12, 2026, 16:47 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

0% Excellent — the moon is essentially out of the way.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Aug 12, 2026, 16:47 UTC

Illumination

New moon

Peak rate (ZHR)

~100/hour

Radiant

Perseus

Active period

Jul 17 – Aug 24

Peak night by city

For each city: the local time of the peak, and how much of that night is both astronomically dark and free of moonlight.

City	Peak (local time)	Astronomical darkness	Moon-free darkness	Moonrise	Moonset	Rating
Seoul	Thu, Aug 13 01:47	7.0 h	7.0 h	05:59 (+1)	19:17	Good
Tokyo	Thu, Aug 13 01:47	7.2 h	7.2 h	05:09 (+1)	18:21	Good
New York	Wed, Aug 12 12:47	6.6 h	6.6 h	06:59 (+1)	20:04	Good
Los Angeles	Wed, Aug 12 09:47	7.4 h	7.4 h	06:03 (+1)	19:19	Good
London	Wed, Aug 12 17:47	4.3 h	4.3 h	06:26 (+1)	20:29	Good
Madrid	Wed, Aug 12 18:47	6.7 h	6.7 h	08:04 (+1)	21:17	Good
Sydney	Thu, Aug 13 02:47	10.4 h	10.4 h	06:50 (+1)	16:45	Good
São Paulo	Wed, Aug 12 13:47	10.2 h	10.2 h	07:08 (+1)	17:52	Good

Why the moon decides a meteor shower

Meteor rates quoted as ZHR assume a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead. Real counts fall off fast with sky brightness, and the moon is the one source of sky brightness that is completely predictable years ahead. A full moon near the peak can cut visible meteors by three quarters even under a cloudless sky. That is why the useful question is not “when is the peak” but “where is the moon at the peak” — which is what this page computes.

Other years

Other meteor showers

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