Guides
Everything the forecasts assume you know, explained properly — the same honest-numbers philosophy as the rest of the site, in long form.
ZHR explained: what “up to 120 meteors an hour” really means
Every meteor shower headline quotes a ZHR — and almost every viewer sees fewer. What the Zenithal Hourly Rate actually measures, why your count is lower, and how to turn ZHR into an honest expectation for your own sky.
Updated July 29, 2026
The best time to watch a meteor shower: hours, moon and season
Why 2 a.m. beats 10 p.m., why the moon matters more than the forecast, and how to pick the one night of the year that is actually worth losing sleep for.
Updated July 29, 2026
How to photograph a meteor shower: settings, gear and the night's workflow
A practical night-sky recipe that works on the first try: which lens and settings to use, how to focus in the dark, where to point relative to the radiant, and how to stack a composite honestly.
Updated July 29, 2026
Finding a dark sky: light pollution, the Bortle scale, and how far to drive
Light pollution decides more of your meteor count than the shower does. How to read the Bortle scale, how far from a city is far enough, and how to pick a safe, legal spot for a night out.
Updated July 29, 2026
Never miss a shower again
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