Perseid Meteor Shower Peak: Where to Watch in NYC

The legendary Perseid meteor shower hits peak frenzy on Wednesday night — or, technically, Thursday morning — around 4 a.m.

“Numbers are expected to range from 40 to 80 per hour, with a peak of near 100 meteors per hour possible after midnight tonight,” says NYMetroWeather.

For New Yorkers, this poses a problem. The five city boroughs are flooded with artificial light at all hours of night, and it’s tough to take a random midweek excursion out-of-city in pursuit of darker skies.

If you do for some reason have the opportunity to leave town tonight, astronomers strongly advise you head out to the suburbs of New Jersey, New York, Long Island or Connecticut for ideal viewing.

But if that’s not in the cards, you’re best off finding a hidden nook of city park — or, really, any safe place isolated from ambient light — on which to lay your blanket and drink your bubbly.

Below are NYC’s most ideal parks for watching the Perseids come through.

1. Inwood Park (Manhattan)

Astronomer Jason Kendall heads to Inwood Park in the Inwood neighborhood (way up at the top of Manhattan) whenever he wants to see the stars. ”The Columbia Football Fields turn off their lights at about 10 p.m. or 10:30 p.m., leaving the park dark,” he says on his website. “It’s a great spot to see the stars. It’s also not muddy because the hilltop is Manhattan granite.”

To get to Kendall’s secret spot, take the A Train to the last stop, “come out the stairs at the front of the train, and go up the hill alongside the church,” he advises. “This entrance is right in front of you.” (Map courtesy of our new favorite astronomer.)

2. Marine Park (Brooklyn)

Marine Park in southeast Brooklyn is a lot wetter than inland park, but it’s also further from the bright lights of Manhattan. Although the park’s Salt Marsh Nature Center won’t be hosting a special Perseid viewing party and lecture, like it did last Saturday, you can still head to the same area on Wednesday night/Thursday with your favorite astronomy whiz to recreate the magic.

3. Floyd Bennett Field, Gateway National Park (Brooklyn)

The Amateur Astronomer’s Association chooses this spot for a monthly stargazing event. It’s even further out than Marine Park — and much harder to reach, without a car — but all the darker for it. AAA reports that the parking lot for the Community Garden is also pretty ”easy to find in the dark.”

Directions, via the AAA: Floyd Bennett Field is located just before the toll plaza for the Marine Parkway Bridge. Take the Q35 bus from the Nostrand Avenue subway station to the last stop in Brooklyn (just before the toll plaza). Exit the bus, cross Flatbush Avenue and enter the park. Approximately 1,000 feet down, there is an intersection. Make a left turn. About 2,000 feet further, on the left side, is the Community Garden.

4. Carl Schurz Park (Manhattan)

Carl Schurz Park, “partially hidden along the East River, is one of the city’s best-concealed secrets,” according to the NYC Parks Department. Like Floyd Bennett Field, it’s also among the AAA’s favorite stargazing spots: “The park has a lovely view of a lot of sky above the East River, Roosevelt Island, Queens, and the Queensborough and Triborough bridges,” says the astronomy org.

It’s also super dog-friendly, in case your beast friend is into meteors. “Two dog runs offer plenty of space for pups to run around and mingle,” according to the city.

5. Your Living Room

If trudging through marshlands and dog poop at 4 a.m. is not for you, tune in to NASA’s all-night livestream of the Perseid meteor shower from the comfort of your own bed. Or couch. Or kitchen floor. That’s the beauty of the Internet! Ustream player embedded below.