It all started with the gibbous moon in July 2025: It shone brighter than ever, as it was exceptionally close to the Earth. Two days after its special appearance in the sky, the annual Perseids began over Berlin. At first, only a few shooting stars were visible, as the sunlight reflected by the moon still illuminated the nights brightly. But the more the crescent moon shrinks and the darker the nights become, the more impressive the spectacle becomes – until the shooting star phenomenon reaches its maximum on the night of August 12 in the summer of 2025.
Whether you’re a dreamer or a realist – everyone can make a wish on this night, because the spectacle in the sky is simply magical. The Perseids, also popularly known as the “Tears of St. Lawrence”, are an annually recurring meteor stream that is active in the first half of August and reaches its clear maximum in the days around August 12. With their high speed, they can even reach the brightness of Venus as so-called fireballs.
The Perseids are fragments of the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. When the Earth crosses its orbit once a year, tiny dust and rock particles enter our atmosphere. These particles are often no bigger than a grain of sand, but hurtle towards the Earth at speeds of up to 216,000 km/h. Their enormous speed causes the air around them to heat up so much that it lights up – and we see them as shooting stars. This makes the Perseids one of the fastest and most spectacular meteor streams ever.
This year, however, the shooting stars have a strong opponent in the sky: the bright moon, which dominates on many nights and threatens to overshadow the shooting star spectacle. But enthusiastic skywatchers in Europe are not discouraged by this and still want to turn the supposedly “disappointing” Perseid night into a successful one. Even under moonlit skies, the magic of the “Tears of St. Lawrence” will be captured by those who know when, where and how to look for them.
When and where can you best observe the stream of shooting stars in Berlin?
From July 17 to August 24, the Earth will cross the orbit of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. During this period, you can observe the Perseids in the sky – although not always with the same intensity. The shower of shooting stars reaches its peak on the night of August 12-13. But the days before and after are also worth a look. The best observation time is between 10 pm and 4 am. All you need for the perfect shooting star spectacle is a clear, cloudless night sky.
Berliners are recommended to take a trip to the surrounding area of Berlin on Saturday night – for example to Gülpe in the star park or to any place where open fields allow an unobstructed view of the sky. This night is also a highlight of the year for Berlin’s planetariums. On August 12, anyone interested can watch the shooting star shower under expert guidance on the open-air grounds of the Archenhold Observatory. Access is open from 6 pm to 2 am. Of course, the Perseids over Berlin can also be enjoyed from the city’s most beautiful rooftops – with a very special view of the Berlin night sky.