Is the Perseid meteor shower going to get even more spectacular? Jupiter could send more 'shooting stars' towards Earth in 2028
Jupiter's gravity could trigger an outburst of Perseid meteors as the 2028 shower hits its peak.
The Perseid meteor shower captured the attention of stargazers during its peak on August 12-13. However, it might become even more spectacular in 2028, thanks to Jupiter's influence. As Earth encounters debris from the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which creates the Perseid meteor shower, Jupiter's gravity could draw more meteoroids into the Earth's atmosphere during the next occurrence.
Meteor expert Robert Lunsford of the American Meteor Society explained that Jupiter passes near the comet's debris stream every twelve years, potentially altering the particles' orbit closer to Earth. While predicting the exact increase in meteor rates remains uncertain due to the scarcity of data on particle density, enhanced activity during the 2027 display might lead to more meteors in 2028, potentially 200-300 per hour.
However, moonlight could hinder the visibility of the shower, especially a third quarter moon during the peak period in 2028, which will rise after midnight and be present until sunrise.
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