The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County has confirmed a locally acquired case of dengue fever, issuing an advisory as officials begin coordinating surveillance, prevention and mosquito control efforts in South Florida.

According to the advisory, the confirmed case involved transmission of the virus within the local area, rather than a case in which someone contracted the disease while traveling abroad and later returned to Florida. Health officials have not disclosed the exact neighborhood or specific location where the local transmission likely occurred, though the department said it has begun coordinated surveillance, prevention and mosquito control efforts in the area in response to the confirmed case.

Dengue is a viral illness spread primarily through the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, though the related Aedes albopictus species can also transmit the virus and is present in Florida as well. The disease typically presents as a flu-like illness, with symptoms that can include fever, severe muscle aches, joint pain and, in some cases, a skin rash. Symptoms of dengue generally appear within 14 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito and typically last anywhere from four days to a week once they develop.

Dengue fever is not considered contagious between people under normal circumstances and is rarely fatal, though the illness can be severely uncomfortable, having earned the nickname “breakbone fever” in some medical literature because of the intensity of the muscle and joint pain it can cause. In more severe cases, the disease can also cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, along with symptoms like eye pain and, in rare instances, bleeding complications.

Miami-Dade’s confirmed local case comes during what public health officials have identified as the most active period of the year for dengue transmission in Florida, driven by the combination of summer heat, humidity and standing water that creates favorable breeding conditions for Aedes mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a significant national rise in dengue activity over the past year, with federal surveillance data showing a 359% increase in reported U.S. dengue activity compared with historical averages, even as the large majority of cases nationally continue to be linked to international travel rather than local transmission.

Florida has recorded locally acquired dengue cases every year in recent years, with the state reporting 62 locally acquired cases in 2025, spread across Brevard, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and Pasco counties. Miami-Dade County alone accounted for 25 of those 2025 cases. In 2023, Florida recorded an even higher total of 154 locally acquired dengue cases, with Miami-Dade County responsible for 139 of them, reflecting the county’s position as one of the state’s most consistent hot spots for local dengue transmission given its dense population, tropical climate and extensive history of international travel connections. Separately, the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County reported the state’s first locally acquired dengue case of 2026 in that county earlier this summer.

Currently, no dengue vaccine is approved for use among the general adult population in the United States. The one FDA-approved vaccine, Dengvaxia, is authorized only for children ages 9 to 16 who have laboratory-confirmed evidence of a prior dengue infection and who live in dengue-endemic U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, and its manufacturer has announced plans to discontinue production of the vaccine in 2026. For the vast majority of Florida residents and mainland U.S. travelers, preventing dengue infection depends entirely on avoiding mosquito bites in the first place, since no widely available vaccine or specific antiviral treatment currently exists for the general population.

Public health officials have outlined several practical steps residents can take to reduce their risk of exposure to dengue-carrying mosquitoes. Using insect repellent registered with the Environmental Protection Agency remains one of the most effective preventive measures, alongside wearing long sleeves and pants during outdoor activities, particularly during the daytime hours when Aedes mosquitoes, unlike many other mosquito species, are most actively biting. Eliminating any standing water around homes and properties is also considered essential, since Aedes mosquitoes require only small amounts of stagnant water, such as that collecting in flowerpots, discarded containers, clogged gutters or unused tires, to breed successfully.

Miami-Dade has faced elevated mosquito-borne illness activity beyond dengue in recent months as well. The county confirmed its first locally acquired case of chikungunya, another mosquito-borne viral illness, in December, and the broader South Florida region has continued monitoring for both diseases throughout 2026 given the area’s consistent risk profile for Aedes-transmitted infections. Chikungunya, like dengue, is transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes and causes symptoms including high fever and often debilitating joint pain, typically appearing within three to seven days of a bite from an infected mosquito.

With Florida now entering the height of its summer mosquito season, health officials in Miami-Dade and across the state are expected to continue closely monitoring both human case counts and mosquito surveillance data throughout the coming months, using that information to guide targeted mosquito control efforts and public health messaging in areas where infected mosquito populations or additional human cases are identified.

Three people were killed and at least seven others were wounded in a shooting Saturday afternoon at an In-N-Out restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, local authorities said, with police confirming the suspected shooter was found dead at the scene.

The shooting unfolded before 2:30 p.m. local time at the restaurant, located within a shopping center in the southern Idaho city. Social media video obtained by CBS News showed people fleeing the shopping center’s parking lot as multiple gunshots could be heard, with one clip showing a person carrying what appeared to be a firearm outside the restaurant before opening the doors of a parked sedan.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed during a news conference Saturday night that fatalities had occurred but said he could not immediately confirm an exact death toll. Joshua Palmer, a Twin Falls city spokesperson, initially told CBS News that at least three people had been killed and two others wounded, before later telling the Associated Press that the number of people injured had risen to at least seven.

Hicks said a number of people injured in the shooting were being treated at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center, a local hospital. The hospital posted a message to its own social media account urging the public to stay away from the facility unless facing a separate emergency. “Due to the active shooter incident occurring in Twin Falls, please avoid going to St. Luke’s Magic Valley unless it is an emergency,” the hospital wrote.

Hicks confirmed that the suspected gunman was dead but did not provide details on how the person died. “The suspected shooter in this incident is deceased,” Hicks said. “He was nearby on the scene there, and we are working to try to ascertain his identity and the motivations behind that.” As of Saturday night, authorities had not released the identity of the suspected shooter or any information about a possible motive.

Twin Falls resident Haley Dodaro, 43, described witnessing the chaos unfold while she and her mother were at the restaurant for lunch. Dodaro told the Associated Press that while the pair was waiting in the drive-thru line, they saw people running across the road and restaurant employees fleeing the building. She said she initially suspected a fire might have broken out, until a man directing traffic in a reflective vest told her there was an active shooter nearby. “So that’s when we knew there was a shooting,” Dodaro said in a text message to the AP. “People were running out crying and screaming. It was very scary.”

Hicks said investigators were working to interview a large number of witnesses who had been in the vicinity of the restaurant at the time of the shooting. “We have literally hundreds of people that were in some way, shape or form in the area of this restaurant at the time that are being interviewed right now,” Hicks said, underscoring the scale of the response and investigation underway in the shooting’s immediate aftermath.

Police shut down surrounding roads and a nearby bridge during the response to the shooting and asked residents in the area to stay away while officers worked the scene. An FBI spokesperson confirmed to CBS News that bureau agents were on site assisting local authorities with the investigation.

Twin Falls is located in southern Idaho, roughly 120 miles southeast of Boise. The city, home to a population of roughly 50,000 people, is known regionally as a commercial hub for south-central Idaho.

The shooting adds to a string of mass-casualty shootings that have drawn national attention in recent months, with local and federal law enforcement continuing to investigate the circumstances and motive behind Saturday’s attack. As of Saturday night, officials had not released additional details about the specific sequence of events inside or around the restaurant, nor had they confirmed the exact number of people killed beyond the initial reports of three fatalities.

Authorities said the investigation into the shooting remains active and ongoing, with police continuing to process the scene and interview witnesses well into Saturday night. No additional public updates on the identities of the victims or the suspected shooter had been released as of early Sunday morning.

Given the scale and violence of Saturday’s shooting, this is a distressing story for many readers, particularly those with connections to the Twin Falls community or who may have been near the restaurant at the time. Anyone personally affected by the shooting who is experiencing distress is encouraged to reach out to local crisis or mental health resources, and Idaho residents seeking immediate support can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Elon Musk has jokingly referred to himself as a “former trillionaire,” poking fun at a dramatic decline in his estimated net worth following sharp valuation drops in both Tesla and SpaceX, a remark that has reignited broader discussion about the nature and volatility of billionaire wealth.

Musk made the comment in a post on X on July 24, writing “(Former) Trillionaire,” in an apparent reference to the extraordinary reversal in his fortune since briefly becoming the world’s first trillionaire following SpaceX’s blockbuster stock market debut in June. At its peak, Musk’s estimated net worth reached roughly $1.45 trillion, according to tracking from outlets including Forbes and Bloomberg. His fortune has since fallen to approximately $695.7 billion, according to Forbes, marking a decline of roughly $750 billion from that June peak.

The joke is notable in part because Musk has never officially sustained trillionaire status for an extended period; his brief crossing of the $1 trillion threshold came almost entirely as a result of SpaceX’s initial public offering. SpaceX shares priced at $135 in the IPO and initially surged as high as $225.64 before reversing sharply. As of late July, the stock had fallen roughly 50% from that all-time high, trading around $109 to $112. SpaceX’s decline has been driven by several factors, including two delayed Starship test launches, a $60 billion all-stock acquisition of AI coding company Cursor that diluted existing shareholders ahead of an August 6 lockup expiration, and a valuation that analysts say leaves little room for error. Starship’s 13th test flight succeeded on July 25, but the stock hit a new low regardless.

Tesla shares have also weighed heavily on Musk’s overall fortune, falling roughly 25% over the past month as of late July. The stock erased a full year of gains in a single session earlier in the summer, when shares fell 18% after Tesla reported second-quarter operating profit of $400 million, well below Wall Street’s expectations of $1.72 billion. Roughly $116 billion of the overall decline in Musk’s estimated net worth stems from a separate adjustment, after Forbes removed certain Tesla stock options from its calculation based on new vesting conditions Musk agreed to with the automaker.

Despite the scale of the paper losses, Musk remains by far the wealthiest person in the world, ranking well ahead of Google co-founders Larry Page, whose net worth is estimated at roughly $268.5 billion, and Sergey Brin, estimated at roughly $270.6 billion, as well as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, estimated at roughly $252.6 billion.

Musk’s comment also carried a note of irony given remarks he made just weeks earlier. Around the time of SpaceX’s IPO, Musk told XPRIZE founder Peter Diamandis that “money will stop being relevant at some point in the future,” arguing that once artificial intelligence and robots begin producing more goods and services than the money supply can account for, currency will lose much of its practical purpose. Diamandis noted the irony of that statement at the time, given that Musk had just become the world’s first trillionaire.

Financial experts generally describe the kind of decline Musk has experienced as a “paper loss,” reflecting a change in the market valuation of assets rather than any actual cash leaving his accounts. Because the overwhelming majority of Musk’s wealth is tied to his ownership stakes in companies including Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, Neuralink and X, rather than cash or other liquid holdings, his estimated net worth can swing by tens of billions of dollars in a single trading session without him selling a single share. When Tesla or SpaceX shares fall, his estimated wealth falls in proportion; when the shares recover, the estimated wealth reappears in the same way. Unless the underlying shares are actually sold, any gains or losses remain unrealized on paper.

Dramatic swings in Musk’s fortune are not unprecedented. His net worth jumped by more than $60 billion in a single day on June 29, and he added another roughly $30 billion on Oct. 24 after Tesla reported stronger-than-expected results, illustrating how quickly his estimated wealth can move in either direction depending on market sentiment toward his companies.

Despite the recent decline, SpaceX remains widely viewed by analysts as one of the strongest assets in Musk’s business portfolio. The company continues to dominate the commercial rocket launch market, operates the rapidly expanding Starlink satellite internet network, and holds major contracts with NASA and the U.S. government. Even so, some Wall Street analysts have expressed caution about the company’s near-term trajectory. Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in late July that if SpaceX shares fell below $100, it would imply that investors see no meaningful value in the company’s artificial intelligence-related business, with some analysts already assigning “zero or negative value” to that segment given the company’s accelerating spending on space and connectivity infrastructure and what the analysts described as largely uncertain economics.

Musk’s overall fortune has continued to reflect the broader volatility characteristic of modern billionaire wealth built primarily on technology company valuations rather than traditional industrial or cash-based assets. A single earnings report, product announcement or shift in investor sentiment can add or erase tens of billions of dollars from his estimated net worth within days, a dynamic that has repeated throughout 2025 and 2026 as Tesla and SpaceX shares have moved through several distinct cycles of sharp gains followed by steep pullbacks.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said he believes meaningful progress is being made in the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, speaking as the case reached the six-month mark since the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson home.

Saturday marked six months since Guthrie’s abduction. Nanos sat down with KOLD anchor Mary Coleman to discuss the state of the investigation, emphasizing that progress continues even without a publicly named suspect. “I believe we are. I think that based on what we’ve learned from the scene and all the evidence we’ve removed from there, to include the DNA, the video analysis, all that work and all the tips. Yes, I think we continue to work further and further along,” Nanos said. “We’re not where we need to be or want to be, but progress is being made.”

Nanos also acknowledged the frustration many in the public have expressed over the pace of the investigation and the limited details authorities have released. “We have gathered a lot of evidence in this case, and I wish you knew it. I wish the community could know all of the evidence, but that’s just not how investigations work,” Nanos said. “Whether it’s this case or any case. We have an obligation, we have a duty and a responsibility, to protect that case and its integrity.”

Nanos was direct in rejecting any suggestion that the case has gone cold despite six months passing without a public arrest. “Nancy Guthrie’s case is not cold,” he said. “We are not giving up. We never will.”

The sheriff’s comments came two days after the Pima County Sheriff’s Office publicly released two ransom notes that Guthrie’s family received following her abduction. According to KOLD, the station received both letters through an anonymous email news tip line and immediately forwarded them to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, which in turn shared the documents with the FBI.

Savannah Guthrie shared another emotional public appeal for information on Saturday, directly asking anyone with knowledge of her mother’s disappearance to come forward. “We are begging for help. We are desperate. We need someone to come forward. Someone knows something. Someone suspects something. Someone recognizes the writing in the ransom demand notes,” Guthrie wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her mother.

Guthrie’s appeal specifically addressed anyone who might be protecting information out of fear, loyalty or personal conflict. “Someone has noticed something different, strange, troubling or just unusual — perhaps with someone they deeply love,” she wrote. “Perhaps they are afraid to come forward. Perhaps they are conflicted. Perhaps they are angry or upset for being in this situation. There is a way out — to tell what you know.” Guthrie said her family’s goal remains learning what happened to her mother so they can properly honor her life. She said the family “wanted to find out what happened to her, so that we can give her the dignity of a proper goodbye — a celebration of her remarkable life that she so deserves.”

The case has remained an active joint investigation involving both the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI since Guthrie’s disappearance was first reported on Feb. 1. Authorities have said they believe Guthrie was forcibly taken from her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood in the early morning hours, after she failed to appear for a scheduled Sunday church livestream. The investigation has involved extensive forensic work, including DNA analysis collected from the scene and review of surveillance footage, alongside the recently released ransom notes, which investigators believe may have been sent from the same source based on shared characteristics between the two letters.

Authorities continue to ask members of the public to closely review the wording, handwriting style and other distinctive characteristics of the released ransom notes in hopes that someone might recognize details that could help identify the sender or senders. Investigators have not confirmed whether the individual or individuals who wrote the notes were directly responsible for Guthrie’s abduction, leaving open questions about the notes’ ultimate significance to the broader case even as authorities continue treating them as important evidence.

Anyone with information related to Guthrie’s disappearance is asked to contact the FBI directly at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or 1-800-225-5324, or to call the separate tip line at 88-CRIME. Tipsters may remain anonymous, and a reward remains available for information leading to a resolution in the case. As the investigation moves past the six-month mark without a named suspect, both law enforcement officials and Guthrie’s family have continued publicly emphasizing that the case remains a top priority, with Nanos reiterating that investigators have no intention of slowing their efforts as the search for answers continues.

Jordan Brand is bringing back the Air Jordan 17 in a glossy new “Black Patent” colorway, marking the sneaker’s first appearance in a patent leather finish and adding to a broader wave of renewed attention for the brand’s often-overlooked post-Air Jordan 13 silhouettes.

The Air Jordan 1 through 14 have historically been Jordan Brand’s most popular and most frequently reissued models, but the company appears to be shifting some of its focus toward later silhouettes in its catalog, including an upcoming “Black Pack” collection and this new spin on the Air Jordan 17 Low.

The Air Jordan 17 Low was first released in 2002 in a smooth black leather build. The new “Black Patent” version retains that original model’s blacked-out color blocking and chrome hardware details, but swaps the standard leather construction for a sleek patent leather finish across most of the upper. The tongue area is the one notable exception, featuring perforated leather rather than the croc-embossed patent material that appeared on the original 2002 release.

A similar version of the Air Jordan 17 Low is also set to appear as part of Jordan Brand’s upcoming Black Pack collection, scheduled for release this holiday season. That broader collection will include the Air Jordan 17 Low alongside the Air Jordan 14 Low, Air Jordan 15 and Air Jordan 16, with each sneaker in the pack featuring premium materials, including a stingray leather treatment specifically on the Air Jordan 17 Low included in that release.

Beyond the Black Patent colorway and the Black Pack collection, Jordan Brand has additional plans in place for the Air Jordan 17 model in the coming months. The silhouette is expected to receive its first-ever reissue in its original College Blue colorway in February, timed to coincide with NBA All-Star Weekend, a launch window Jordan Brand has frequently used in the past to release notable retro colorways tied to the league’s midseason showcase event.

The Air Jordan 17 is not the only previously overlooked model receiving renewed attention from Jordan Brand this year. The Air Jordan 16 is separately set for release this month through a collaboration with Ghanaian streetwear brand Free the Youth, part of a broader pattern of the company revisiting and reworking silhouettes from later in Michael Jordan’s playing career that have historically received less retro attention than the more widely reissued earlier models in the line.

The Air Jordan 17 Retro Low SP Black Patent will launch in Europe on Aug. 8, priced at $245 under style code IV7640-001. A broader global release for the sneaker, arriving in the same Black/Black/Metallic Silver colorway, is expected to follow in the near future, though Jordan Brand has not confirmed an exact date for that wider rollout.

The Air Jordan 17 originally debuted during the 2002-03 NBA season as part of the signature line built around Michael Jordan, who wore versions of the sneaker during the final stretch of his playing career with the Washington Wizards. The model was notable at the time of its original release for its distinctive design, which departed from the more traditional silhouettes of earlier Air Jordan models in favor of a sleeker, more minimalist aesthetic that drew comparisons to luxury dress shoes, a design choice that made the model a somewhat divisive release among sneaker enthusiasts when it first launched.

Jordan Brand’s continued interest in reissuing and reworking the Air Jordan 17, alongside similar recent attention paid to the Air Jordan 14, 15 and 16, reflects a broader trend within the sneaker industry of brands mining deeper into their historical catalogs for new release opportunities, as widely reissued earlier models increasingly saturate the market and collectors and consumers look for fresher takes on less commonly seen silhouettes from a brand’s back catalog.

With the Black Patent colorway confirmed for its European debut on Aug. 8 and additional Air Jordan 17 releases, including the Black Pack version and the College Blue retro, already planned for later this year and into early 2026, sneaker collectors are likely to have multiple opportunities over the coming months to add fresh interpretations of the once-overlooked silhouette to their collections, as Jordan Brand continues expanding its retro release calendar beyond its historically dominant early-numbered models.

The edge-of-town development is said to have attracted a lot of interest since planning permission was secured in 2022

Work has finished on the regeneration of a key former factory site in Sunderland.

The final two retail units have opened to the public at the former Dewhirst site in Pennywell, which has been transformed by North East developer and landlord UK Land Estates. The two drive-thru units for Greggs and Starbucks at Pennywell Industrial Estate are now open to the public.

Standing adjacent to the already completed Wickes, Aldi and KFC, the two units mark the completion of the final phase of the edge-of-city retail scheme. It comes more than two decades after the closure of the clothing manufacturer’s site, which was a household name through the 20th century and had roots in the city dating back to the 19th century.

Dewhirst employed hundreds of people at its peak, before its Leechmere site closed in 2002 and its Pennywell factory ceased production a year later. The site then stood largely vacant until 2022 when UK Land Estates was granted planning permission to develop a new retail park on the edge of the city.

Tim Witty, development director at UK Land Estates, said: “We’ve seen a real surge in demand for well-connected, out-of-town retail parks over recent years and the redevelopment of the former Dewhirst site is a prime example of this. As soon as we were granted planning permission in 2022, we were inundated with queries from parties looking to capitalise on the site’s prime location, so it is fantastic to finally see it complete and bearing fruit.

“In Wickes, KFC, Aldi, Starbucks and Greggs we have been able to attract five national and global brands to the site, creating dozens of jobs for local people while providing a major lift to the city’s economy. It has been a fantastic project to be involved in and I’m sure as we look ahead to 2026, there will be yet more sites to follow as we seek to capitalise on the seemingly increasing popularity of the North East as a great place to invest and do business.”

The Pennywell Dewhirst factory once made menswear jackets, trousers, waistcoats and top coats for M&S. At the time of its closure, Dewhirst relied on M&S for around 90% of its sales and bosses said it was not ‘sufficiently profitable’ to keep the Pennywell factories open.

UK Land Estates was granted planning permission in 2022 to develop the seven-acre site, with investment there thought to have exceeded £10m. UK Land Estates is one of the largest owners of commercial property in the North East of England and has three main estates including Team Valley, Teesside Industrial Estate and Tyne Tunnel Industrial Estate, alongside a portfolio of other assets.

This article was written by

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Skywatchers across North America and Europe are set to experience two distinct celestial events within a single day on Wednesday, Aug. 12, as a partial solar eclipse crosses much of the region before darkness brings the annual peak of the Perseid meteor shower under an especially dark, moonless sky.

The solar eclipse will unfold first, during daylight hours. A partial solar eclipse will be visible from Alaska, eastern Canada, 26 U.S. states, and most of Europe, though the moon’s darkest umbral shadow, the portion of the eclipse that produces total darkness, will miss North America entirely. A narrow path of total solar eclipse will instead pass through eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain, where the moon will completely block the sun for up to 2 minutes and 18 seconds.

Within North America, the deepest partial eclipse will occur in far northern Canada, while Alaska and the northeastern United States will offer the best viewing opportunities within the country. Fairbanks, Alaska, will see approximately 37% of the sun covered by the moon at around 8:27 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time. Within the contiguous United States, Presque Isle, Maine, will experience the largest partial eclipse, reaching roughly 28% coverage at approximately 1:50 p.m. Eastern time. Boston will see about 16% of the sun covered around 1:53 p.m., while New York City will experience approximately 10% coverage at roughly 1:54 p.m. Eastern time. Because the sun will be positioned high in the sky during the eclipse, viewers will not need to seek out any particular vantage point, with even an ordinary city sidewalk offering adequate viewing conditions.

The eclipse will be considerably more dramatic across the Atlantic. Beyond the narrow path of totality crossing Greenland, Iceland and Spain, much of the rest of Europe will experience a deep partial eclipse. London will see approximately 91% of the sun covered, while Paris will see roughly 92% coverage. Madrid and Barcelona both fall outside the path of totality, but will still experience a partial eclipse covering approximately 99% of the sun.

Proper eye protection remains essential throughout any stage of a partial solar eclipse, since it is never safe to view the sun directly without protection during a partial phase. Certified eclipse glasses meeting the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard are required for safe direct viewing, while any binoculars, cameras or telescopes used to observe the event need securely mounted solar filters attached to the front of their optics. Eclipse glasses saved from the total solar eclipse that crossed North America on April 8, 2024, remain usable, provided they show no scratches, pinpricks or other damage. Skywatchers are advised to check their glasses for damage by shining a flashlight through the lenses to confirm no light passes through, and to replace any glasses in question, purchasing only from reputable manufacturers listed on the American Astronomical Society’s official directory of safe solar viewers and filters.

Once the eclipse concludes, skywatchers willing to stay outside after sunset will be rewarded with the second major celestial event of the day. The same new moon responsible for the eclipse will also leave the night sky free of moonlight as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its annual peak overnight between Aug. 12 and 13. That combination of a dark, moonless sky and the meteor shower’s peak activity has generated particular excitement among astronomers this year, since bright moonlight typically washes out fainter meteors during peak viewing periods in other years.

Under exceptionally dark, rural conditions, observers could see as many as 60 to 100 meteors per hour during the Perseids’ peak, though a more typical rate under good conditions generally falls between 30 and 50 meteors per hour. Even observers in suburban areas with moderate light pollution should still enjoy a steady, visible stream of shooting stars throughout the night. The best viewing window for the Perseids generally falls after midnight, when Earth’s rotation carries observers directly into the densest part of the debris stream left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, the parent comet responsible for the annual meteor shower.

Location plays the single biggest role in determining how many meteors a given observer will ultimately see. Traveling away from the light pollution of towns and cities significantly improves visibility, with national parks, designated Dark Sky Places, DarkSky Preserves and rural coastlines all offering considerably darker skies capable of revealing far more faint meteors than typical suburban neighborhoods. Locations of that kind tend to become crowded during the Perseids’ peak each year, so anyone planning to camp overnight at a dark-sky location is advised to book accommodations well in advance. Once situated at a viewing location, allowing at least 20 minutes for eyes to fully adjust to the darkness, and avoiding phone screens during that adjustment period, significantly improves an observer’s ability to spot fainter meteors. While Perseid meteors appear to radiate outward from the constellation Perseus, individual meteors can actually appear anywhere across the night sky.

Beyond the eclipse and the meteor shower itself, Aug. 12 offers additional celestial sights for those willing to spend the full day and night observing the sky. The Milky Way will arch prominently across the southern sky from sufficiently dark viewing locations, offering one of the year’s best opportunities to observe the galaxy’s structure with the naked eye. Venus will also reach a point in its orbit known as dichotomy, appearing extremely bright to the naked eye while showing only half-illumination when viewed through a small telescope, as the planet continues moving closer to Earth in its orbital path.