The three-letter International Astronomical Union code for the Perseid meteor shower is PER.
Meteor-shower catalogs use compact codes to identify showers unambiguously. PER is the standard code assigned to the Perseids, just as other showers have codes such as GEM for the Geminids and LYR for the Lyrids. The code is useful in observing reports, meteor databases, and annual shower calendars.
PER is not a shortened form of the parent comet’s designation. The parent comet is 109P/Swift–Tuttle, while PER identifies the meteor stream created by material released from that comet. Separating the shower code from the comet designation prevents confusion between the source body and the visible atmospheric phenomenon.
In 2026, observers and scientific organizations can use PER when recording meteor counts, activity profiles, and radiant measurements. The code remains the same from year to year because it identifies the recurring Perseid stream, not one particular annual display.