Your 2020 Calendar of Meteor Showers in Texas
Texas is kind of known for its stars. We have four international dark sky parks and an international dark sky sanctuary, seven astronomical observatories, and songs written about how big and bright the stars are.
So it’s safe to say that Texas offers some of the best stargazing in the country. But on certain nights, watching the skies can bring you much more than just constellations.
Meteor showers occur whenever the earth’s orbit takes it through debris from disintegrated comets. This sand-like debris burns when it enters our atmosphere, which produces the meteor showers we get to see.
These showers have varying visibility in different places, but we’ve listed Texas’ peak nights below.
Just seek out a dark area in the countryside where you can comfortably watch the sky for a few hours. The longer you stay, the more your eyes will adjust to the dark, and the more meteors you’ll see. The best hours will be from midnight until dawn.
Happy skygazing, Texas! Here’s your calendar guide to meteor showers in Texas in 2020.
Jan. 3: Quadrantids Meteor Shower
The Quadrantids will be at peak visibility on the night of Jan. 3–4 near the constellations Draco and Hercules in Texas.
April 21: Lyrids Meteor Shower
Lyrids will be at peak visibility in Texas on the night of April 21–22 near the constellation Lyra, its namesake. It’s one of the oldest recorded meteor showers and is documented to have been seen in China more than 2,500 years ago.
May 5: Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower
Appearing to come from the constellation Aquarius, this meteor shower will peak on the night of May 5–6 in Texas.
Aug. 11: Perseids Meteor Shower
The Perseids, one of the brightest meteor showers, will peak on the night of Aug. 11–12 in Texas. A favorite among astronomers and stargazers, the shower is made of space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. On a good night, you may see 100 meteors an hour.
Oct. 8: Draconids Meteor Shower
The Draconids are at peak visibility near the constellation Draco on the night of Oct. 8–9 in Texas. This one is best viewed in the evening.
Oct. 21: Orionids Meteor Shower
The Orionids, along with the Eta Aquariids, come from Halley’s Comet. The shower will be at peak visibility near the constellation Orion on the night of Oct. 21–22 in Texas.
Find more stargazing here.
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