Overview
- The American Meteor Society expects up to about 60 meteors per hour at peak from dark rural sites, with activity building after 10 p.m. and highest near 2 a.m.
- Other outlets report higher potential counts, with estimates up to 120–150 per hour in very dark conditions depending on methodology and location.
- The shower’s debris comes from rocky object 3200 Phaethon, yielding slower, sometimes vividly colored streaks from a radiant near Castor in Gemini.
- Public star parties are planned across the U.S., including parks and observatories, and some events require advance reservations.
- Viewing favors the Northern Hemisphere; for best results find a dark site, allow night vision to adapt, and watch for early-evening earthgrazers before rates climb overnight.