Where Can I See the Epsilon Perseids Meteor Shower in ID, UT, and WA

Earth is blasting through the trail of an old, unknown comet from a different solar system, and if the weather cooperates, the shooting star show could be amazing.

Here’s the problem: it doesn’t look like the weather is going to be consistently clear, and the moon is almost full, which could make it hard to see many of the shooting stars.

What Meteor Shower is Happening Tonight in UT, WA, and ID

The September Epsilon Perseids meteor shower is happening right now. It began on the 5th of September and will be active through the 21st, but we are going through the most active nights this week.

This meteor shower is different than the Perseid meteor shower, which happened in August. During the peak nights of the Perseid and under ideal conditions, up to 100 shooting stars could be seen each hour. With the Epsilon shower, the number is significantly lower. Forecasts predict around 5 visible shooting stars each hour, but cloud coverage and the full moon will most likely lessen that number.

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That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth sitting outside for a chance at seeing one of the fireballs.

For your best chance at seeing them, make sure you have a clear view of the northeast sky, minimal light pollution, and give your eyes around 20 minutes to adjust to the dark (try not to look at the moon and block its glow if you can).

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You should also be able to see Saturn all night, Jupiter beginning around midnight, and Venus before dawn.