Hurry! LOOK UP! The Perseid Meteor Shower is happening now through August.  A Meteor Shower is absolutely magical! And the best part is you don’t need anything to view the shower.  You can enjoy the entire special event with your naked eye!

Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseid Meteor Shower (named this because the meteors look like they are coming from the constellation Perseus.) usually peaks in mid-August.  But this year with a full moon around August 11, the best time to view the meteor shower might be the beginning of August. The shower happens when the Earth passes through debris trail by the Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As it passes through there are small fragments from that comet that fall into our atmosphere and create the shower!

Best Local Places to View Perseid Meteor Shower

  1. OJAI

    Settled at the foot of the Topatopa Mountains, Ojai can be a great spot to view the meteor shower.  The city offers dark skies because they have a dark skies ordinance which requires nonessential lighting be turned off at 10pm. If you decide to view the shower from here, we encourage you to get there before dark and enjoy the city.  Ojai has many tasty restaurants, fun playgrounds and yummy ice cream spots!

    RELATED: “Ojai Day Trip – Stop to Smell the Orange Blossoms”

  2. OAK CANYON COMMUNITY PARK, OAK PARK

    Although the skies won’t be as dark as in Ojai, this can be a great viewing area. The park has later visiting hours, which will allow you a small window of opportunity to see the meteor show!  Make sure to check the park hours and parking before heading there to check about the day you plan to be there.

  3. MOORPARK COLLEGE OBSERVATORY

    Moorpark College Observatory does not specifically offer a public viewing of this meteor shower, but it might be worth calling to see if you can schedule a time to take a look through the observatory’s 12-inch reflective telescope.

  4. MOUNT PINOS, LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST

    If you are feeling  adventurous you can head to Mount Pinos, Los Padres National Forest. You can find a wide pullout or campground to view the sky and look for meteors. Stop by the Chuchupate Ranger Station to get some advice about a great spot.

Enjoy Perseid Meteor Shower

We hope your family is able to see the Perseid Meteor Shower. Happy Viewing!

perseid meteor shower

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Cascia Smith
Cascia was born and raised in the Arizona heat. While receiving her Pre-Med degree at HIU in California, a blonde, surfing, skateboarding boy stole her heart. In 2004, she married Chuck and had many adventures living in Arizona, California and Colorado. They now call Simi Valley home and have three wild and curious children - Becker (10), Bodie (7) and Lyla (6). She has been blessed to be a teacher, summer camp staff/program director, SAHM and now the owner of Ventura County Mom Collective. Playing guitar, writing songs, and reading any and every parenting book helps keep her sane and happy! A good cup of coffee or a bubbly La Croix can usually be found in her hand! She tries to live by the motto "I'd rather recover from failure than live with regret.

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