To get a hint of when to watch, you can use a meter that relies on data from the Global Meteor Network. It shows how the fireball activity levels increase in real time.
How to Watch a Meteor Shower
Michelle Nichols, the director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago told NYT that one should forgo the use of telescopes or binoculars while watching a meteor shower.
“You just need your eyes and, ideally, a dark sky,” she told NYT. That’s because meteors can shoot across large swaths of the sky, so observing equipment can limit your field of view. Some showers are strong enough to produce up to 100 streaks an hour, according to the American Meteor Society, though you likely won’t see that many.
“Almost everybody is under a light-polluted sky,” Nichols said. “You may think you’re under a dark sky, but in reality, even in a small town, you can have bright lights nearby.”
Planetariums, local astronomy clubs or even maps can help you figure out where to get away from excessive light. The best conditions for catching a meteor shower are a clear sky with no moon or cloud cover, at sometime between midnight and sunrise. (Moonlight affects visibility in the same way as light pollution, washing out fainter sources of light in the sky.) Make sure to give your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to seeing in the dark.
Nichols also recommends wearing layers, even during the summer. “You’re going to be sitting there for quite a while, watching,” she said. “It’s going to get chilly, even in August.”