How to Watch the 2019 Perseid Meteor Shower Live Online

News
By Elizabeth Howell
published

Astronomy broadcaster Slooh will stream a live webcast of the Perseids on Monday (Aug. 12) at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT Aug. 13), showing off the shower from telescopes in North America, the Middle East and Europe. Live coverage is available here at Space.com, courtesy of Slooh, or at Slooh's website for a fee (annual memberships start at $20).

"The Perseids Meteor Shower is a favorite for many stargazers because it has more bright meteors than most showers — sometimes as many as 50-60 per hour under ideal conditions," Slooh said in a statement. As for the glaring moon, Slooh offered a solution: "Slooh's special low-light video cameras will also detect fainter meteors — even against the bright moonlight."

In addition to the livestream, host and astrophysicist Paige Godfrey will have a team of astronomical experts online to discuss the science of comets and meteor showers, as well as their history. Aspiring astrophotographers will get some hints on how to get the best shot of the meteors. Viewers can ask questions using the hashtag #AskSlooh.

Related: Perseid Meteor Shower 2019: When, Where & How to See It

The Virtual Telescope Project

Alternatively, you can check out the peak of the Perseids a little earlier on Monday at the Virtual Telescope Project, starting at 6 p.m. EDT (2200 GMT). Led by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, the project pledges to "share the view of our wide field cameras, to show any potential meteor they will capture." 

The Virtual Telescope Project will run its broadcast on its website, and on YouTube.

This NASA map shows where in the night sky the Perseid meteor shower will radiate out from during the 2019 Perseids peak overnight on Aug. 12 and 13. The best time to look for Perseids is around 3 a.m. local time.  (Image credit: NASA/JP-Caltech)

Editor's note: If you snap an amazing photo of the 2019 Perseid meteor shower and would like to share them for a story or photo gallery, send images and comments to spacephotos@space.com!

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Elizabeth Howell
Elizabeth Howell
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace