One of my favorite astrophotography events peaks every August is the Perseids. This late summer meteor shower is known to create as many as 50 to 100 “shooting stars” an hour, along with an occasional fireball of powerful green light.
Catching a shooting star on camera is a challenge as once you’ve spotted the streak of light, it’s typically too late to catch it on camera. But the Perseids' high frequency of meteors means photographers have much higher odds of catching that streak of light on camera.
I love directing my camera towards the night sky every August in hopes of catching a Perseid – I even managed to get the Northern Lights and a meteor in the same frame this year.
But as much as I love photographing the meteor shower, the Perseids are hardly a local event, seen throughout the northern hemisphere and the northernmost parts of the southern hemisphere.
Looking through Perseid meteor astrophotographs from 2026 has enabled me to view the celestial event beyond more than my own regular favorite stargazing sites. Here are my favorite 2026 Perseid meteor shots from around the world.
While the peak has already passed, there's still time to photograph the Perseids, as the celestial event continues through August 24.
Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria
This shot shows an unusual angle of the Arch of Freedom in Bulgaria – and captures the Milky Way along with several Perseid meteors.
Izmir, Turkey
I love how the glare from the light house nearly matches the streaks of the meteors across the sky.
Dambulla, Sri Lanka
The Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site looks all the more stunning amid the night sky. This shot was taken closer to the start of the Perseids on July 23.
Ankara, Turkey
The structure of the Abaci Fairy Chimneys adds interest to this shot from the peak of the Perseids on August 13.
Ostrava, Czech Republic
The windmill lines up perfectly with the Milky Way in this shot by Lukas Kabon.
Eskisehir, Turkey
Photographer Aytug Can Sencar captured the rock formation, the Mily Way and a Perseid in this dramatic shot.
Shitan Village, China
Clouds are the astrophotographer's worst enemy, but this shot highlights dramatic fog filling in a valley underneath the Perseids. The red streak is likely an aircraft, but there's a nice white meteor streaking right down the line of the Milky Way.
Konya, Turkey
A sunflower field adds interest to this shot that manages to catch the Perseids and the Milky Way.
Joshua Tree, California, USA
The namesake for Joshua Tree National Park creates a striking scene amid the meteor shower in this shot from August 13.
Beijing, China
Most Perseids appear as small streaks of light, but the meteors will occasionally produce a larger fireball. Photographer Li Wenbin captured a stunning fireball here, highlighted by an excellent minimalist composition with the ground and a well-lit tent.
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Learn how to photograph the Perseids, or browse the best lenses for astrophotography.
