Impressive meteor shower to light up night sky and here's how to see it in Ontario

The annual summer meteor shower, the Perseids, is just days away from being at its brightest, and that means it's time to plan out your viewing spot. 

This natural phenomenon occurs every year at the end of July and early August, and for 2025, the Perseids will be at their peak and most active on the night of Aug. 12 until before dawn on Aug. 13, according to Space.com.

Caused by debris left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet, these space rocks burn up as they pass through our atmosphere, creating a cosmic light show in the sky for observers below. 

To ensure you have the best luck of catching the Perseids, you'll want to head for areas free from city light pollution, where the skies are very dark and unobstructed.

Here's where you'll likely be able to view the Perseids this summer in Ontario.

Dark sky preserves

The Lennox and Addington County Dark Sky Viewing Area is only 2.5 hours from Toronto and is a great place to view the Perseids. Even if there is cloud coverage, there's a good chance you’ll be able to catch some of the lights here. 

To feast your eyes on some of the darkest skies in Southern Ontario, the North Frontenac Astronomy Park is easily one of the best spots for stargazing, Perseids season included. Located three hours from Toronto by car, visitors set up their own telescopes for a personal view of the phenomenon, without the interference of urban light pollution.

You can also head out to Muskoka for the Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve, perhaps one of Ontario's most well-known hot spots for sky-watchers. 

The Manitoulin Eco Park's DarkSky Preserve is another great spot intended for stargazing, with almost zero light pollution and 360-degree views. For the Perseids peak, you can watch up to 100 meteors burn up per hour.

Provincial parks

Ontario's parks are also prime viewing spots for the night sky, where celestial pilgrimages happen every year.

Killarney Provincial Park is always a popular site for stargazers and became the first provincial park with an official Dark Sky Preserve designation in 2018. Don't forget to visit Killarney's public observatory either!

Lake Superior Provincial Park, another dark sky preserve, has also taken measures to protect its super dark skies against light pollution, proving itself as another Perseids hotspot.

Other provincial parks with dark sky preserve designations include Quetico Provincial Park and Bruce Peninsula National Park.

Perseids 2025 forecast

While much of Ontario will experience partly cloudy weather on the night of Aug. 12, that doesn't mean catching even a glimpse of the Perseids is impossible. 

Start looking to the skies above around 11 p.m. for the best chance of viewing the shooting stars, and get ready for this celestial summer treat!