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How to Catch a Glimpse of Monday Night's Meteor Shower

July 28, 2019
3 min read
Spectacular Perseid Meteor Shower Can Be Seen Across the Night Skies
How to Catch a Glimpse of Monday Night's Meteor Shower
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Two dueling meteor showers will peak Monday night, giving much of the United States the chance to see up to 25 meteors per hour streak across the night sky. However, some regions of the US will offer far better views of the spectacular astronomical event. Here's where you'll want to be to catch Monday night and Tuesday morning's meteor shower.

When to Catch the Meteor Shower

The meteor shower will be most visible from dusk on Monday night with peak viewing lasting through dawn on Tuesday morning.

Geminid Meteor Shower
Meteors in the desert Southwest as seen during a 2017 meteor shower in the United States (Image via Getty Images)

Where to Have the Best Views of the Meteor Shower

Skygazers will need to consider a number of factors to enjoy optimal viewing conditions of the meteor shower. The most important is cloud cover. Check your local weather for viewability. Second, if you live in a large city with substantial light pollution, you'll want to make your way to somewhere more remote. Here are the best cities to catch Monday's astronomical event.

The Northeast

  • Cape May, NJ (1 hour and 45 minutes from Philadelphia)
  • Hudson, NY (2 hours and 30 minutes from New York City)
  • Cape Cod, MA (1 hour and 30 minutes from Boston)

The Mid-Atlantic

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  • Virginia Beach, VA (30 minutes from Norfolk, VA)
  • Annapolis, MD (45 minutes from Washington, DC, Baltimore)
  • Kitty Hawk, NC

The South

  • Athens, GA (1 hour and 30 minutes from Atlanta)
  • Gulf Shores, AL (3 hours from New Orleans)
  • Myrtle Beach, SC
  • Hilton Head Island, SC

The Midwest

  • Moline, IL (2 hours and 45 minutes from Chicago)
  • St. Cloud, MN (1 hour from Minneapolis)
  • Columbia, MO (2 hours from St. Louis)
  • Topeka, KS (1 hour from Kansas City)

The West Coast/Western US

  • John Martin Reservoir State Park (3 hours and 45 minutes from Denver)
  • Lake Meade, NV (35 minutes from Las Vegas)
  • Oxnard, CA (1 hour from Los Angeles)
  • Fresno, CA (2 hours and 45 minutes from the Bay Area)
  • Hood River, OR (1 hour from Portland)
  • Yakima, WA (2 hours from Seattle)
Meteor shower viewing conditions. (Image via AccuWeather.com)

Bottom Line

With such short notice, Monday night's meteor shower might be the perfect time to rediscover the great American past time of road tripping. This isn't a once in a lifetime event, however, if you live in a region of the country with optimal viewing conditions, it may be worth a drive to a smaller city near your hometown.

For more information on Monday's astronomical event, visit the American Meteor Society's website.

For the latest travel news, deals and points and miles tips please subscribe to The Points Guy daily email newsletter.

Featured image by Getty Images

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.