Perseids Meteor Shower 2026 Lights Up Italy

Meteors, often called "shooting stars," are not stars but small space rocks that burn up in Earth's atmosphere, creating bright trails called meteors. On 14 June 2026 a bright bolide crossed central Italy, recorded by the PRISMA network of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF); the fragment was estimated at about 10 grams and produced a visible display from Rome to Perugia.

The Perseids meteor shower will be active from 17 July to 24 August 2026, with the peak expected on the night of 12–13 August when a new moon provides dark skies. In Liguria, the best viewing spots are inland locations with low artificial light, open horizons and legal access. Observers can watch the meteors with the naked eye, lying or sitting to take in a wide swath of sky; ideal conditions could yield 90–100 meteors per hour, though actual counts depend on weather and light pollution.