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An incredible meteor shower will light up Montpellier's sky in August

undefined undefined 6 août 2026 undefined 19h00

The Editor

Image fictive générée avec l'IA

August 12th is shaping up to be one of the most beautiful celestial evenings of the year. A solar eclipse at sunset, followed a few hours later by the peak of the Perseids, the most famous summer meteor shower. Get ready to be absolutely mesmerized!

Get ready to look up (and update your wish list). This year, the sky has planned something spectacular for us. On Wednesday, August 12th, a rare phenomenon will kick off the celebrations: a solar eclipse will be visible late in the day, around 8 p.m. depending on where you are. Then, once night falls, it's time for the grand Perseids show, with peak activity expected during the night of August 12th to 13th. In other words? An absolutely exceptional evening and night of stargazing.


What are the Perseids?

Are shooting stars actual stars? Not really. In fact, behind the Perseids hide tiny particles from an asteroid or comet, in this case comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Every summer, Earth passes through this cosmic swarm and these fragments burn up in our atmosphere at incredible speed, creating long trails

shining in the sky. At peak time, it will be possible to observe up to a hundred shooting stars per hour. Enough to smash your annual wish quota ! 

And contrary to popular belief, they're not all white. Some shine in blue, others in green, yellow, or even red. This explosion of colors is explained by the unique chemical composition of each meteor, as well as by the reactions triggered when they pass through Earth's atmosphere. The result: a fabulous spectaclecute, free, and frankly hard to beat.


Montpellier Under the Stars

The best part of this whole story? The astronomical calendar is perfectly aligned. The solar eclipse on August 12th also coincides with a new Moon. Which means that once night falls, our satellite won't bathe the sky in its light. The darker the sky, the more visible the shooting stars are. So to enjoy the show, we forget about balconies or rooftops that are too bright: light pollution is the number one enemy of the Perseids. It's better to treat yourself to a little nighttime getaway to green and peaceful spots, or even outside the city, in the heart of the countryside. The best time to look up? The second half of the night, gazing toward the north-northeast.