Whether you're needing a wish or just love a neat celestial event, these are the dates you need to keep an eye on the night sky for your best chances to see a shooting star.

Why Do People Wish on Shooting Stars?

According to the Farmer's Almanac, before the 1800s, shooting stars were seen as an incredible phenomenon. It wasn't until the mid-1800s that it was discovered that shooting stars are actually meteors.  The Farmer's Almanac says that the tradition of wishing on a star dates back to the second century when Greek astronomer Ptolemy believed shooting stars were a symbol of the gods peering down from the heavens, so it was believed at that time a wish made upon that star was more likely to be heard by the gods.

In the 1830s, the idea of wishing upon stars became even more prominent in modern beliefs. Seeing a meteor was believed to be a sign of promise, luck, and good fortune, though of course individual wishes varied greatly.  (Farmers Almanac)

When to See Shooting Stars Over Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky

In the Tri-State, we are lucky because we don't have to travel too far to get away from city lights for better chances to see shooting stars, and the best time to see one is during a meteor shower (because after all, "shooting star" is just a magical name for a meteor).  According to Space, the next meteor shower is the Perseid meteor shower, and it is currently active, running from mid-July to late August.

Space says around 11 PM local time is the best time to look up.  So there's a chance to see a shooting star as early as tonight if you want to keep an eye on the sky!

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Future Meteor Shower Peaks for the Best Chances to See Shooting Stars Over the Tri-State

Space has the peak dates for each meteor shower as follows:

• Perseid Meteor Shower: peaks August 12th just before dawn on August 13th
• Draconid Meteor Shower: active between October 6th-10th, peaking around Oct. 8th
• Orionid Meteor Shower: Active September 26th-November 22nd, will peak October 20th-21st
• Taurid Meteor Shower: Active from September 10th -November 20th, but it will peak around October 20th and December 10th.  The best date to look for these meteors is November 12th.
• Leonid Meteor Shower: Active November 3rd through December 2nd, will peak around November 17th.
• Geminid Meteor Shower: Occurs November 19-December 24, and the peak will be December 13-14 during the overnight hours.
• Ursid Meteor Shower: Active From December 13-24th and will peak overnight December 22nd - 23rd.