How to watch glowing fireballs in Bay Area skies this week

Key Points:

• The Perseid meteor shower peaks from the evening of Wednesday, August 12, into the early morning of Thursday, August 13, offering a chance to see 50 to 100 meteors per hour, including bright fireballs, due to Earth crossing debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
• Optimal viewing is between 11 p.m. and dawn, ideally from a dark location away from city lights, with no need for binoculars or telescopes; NASA recommends allowing 30 minutes for eyes to adjust to the dark.
• Weather conditions in the Bay Area may hinder visibility due to clouds and fog, while Southern California and the Sierra Nevada have better chances for clearer skies, although wildfire smoke could affect views.
• Several Bay Area locations, including Chabot Space & Science Center and Lawrence Hall of Science, are hosting meteor shower watch parties, with planetarium simulations available if weather is poor; NASA will also livestream the event starting at 9 p.m. Pacific time.
• A total solar eclipse occurs on the same day but will not be visible in California; residents can watch the eclipse livestream from locations like Iceland and Spain via the California Academy of Sciences or NASA.