The 2026 Perseid meteor shower appears to radiate from the constellation Perseus.
A meteor-shower radiant is the point in the sky from which the meteors seem to travel. This is a perspective effect: the meteoroids move along nearly parallel paths, but their streaks appear to diverge from one region of the sky. Perseid paths therefore seem to point back toward Perseus.
The constellation gives the shower its name. Perseus is a northern-sky constellation named for the hero of Greek mythology and was among the 48 constellations listed by the ancient astronomer Ptolemy. The International Astronomical Union recognizes it as one of the 88 modern constellations.
Observers do not need to stare directly at Perseus. Meteors can appear across a much wider area of sky, and longer streaks are often seen away from the radiant. The radiant’s position also changes during the night as Earth rotates, so viewing conditions depend on latitude, local time, and the constellation’s altitude.