How to Catch a Glimpse of Monday Night's Meteor Shower
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.
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
- 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)
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.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app