Bossier Parish Library: Best Visibility for the Perseids – August 12-13

Bossier Parish Library Column
Annie Gilmer, Community Engagement Librarian   

August 12, 2026

This week’s fun facts from your library are all about the Perseid Meteor Shower, which usually peaks between August 9 – 14. This year, the best visibility, barring a sudden change from this hot, clear weather we’ve been experiencing, will be between August 12th and 13th.

The Perseids, as with most meteor showers, are caused by debris from a comet or asteroid that has passed through Earth’s path previously; the Swift-Tuttle comet is the source of the Perseids. The comet itself only brings it near Earth about every 133 years, and it last entered the inner Solar System in 1992.

If you want to try to watch the Perseid meteor shower this year, then you’ll want to look towards the constellation, Perseus. The meteors will be visible in the sky near Perseus and the most activity will occur between midnight and dawn on the 13th. In order to have the best chance of seeing the action, it’s best to minimize light pollution, so the further from light sources you can get, the better. Additionally, it’s best to give your eyes time to adjust to the dark which means that if you bring a flashlight with you, make it a dim white light or a red light so as to not dazzle your eyes with the brightness and undo all that adjusting to the dark you’ve done.

While you don’t need a telescope to be able to watch a meteor shower, you can borrow one from the library if you want to get a closer look at the night sky. We have 2 telescopes available for checkout, and a good number of books all about stars, space, constellations, meteors, comets, and more. Give us a call or browse our catalog for any of these items!

Questions? Email us at: [email protected] 
 
Website: https://www.bossierlibrary.org/ 
 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bossierlibrary 
 
Library Hours: 
Central
Monday – Thursday, 9:00am – 8:00pm 
Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm 
Saturday, 9:00am – 5:00pm 
Benton 
Monday – Thursday, 9:00am – 7:00pm 
Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm 
Saturday, 10:00am – 2:00pm 
Haughton 
Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm 
Saturday, 10:00am – 2:00pm 
Aulds/East 80/Plain Dealing/Tooke 
Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm 
History Center
Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday, by appointment
 
Library Locations: 
Aulds Branch 
318.742.2337 
 
Benton Branch 
318.965.2751 
 
Central Library 
318.746.1693 
 
East 80 Branch 
318.949.2665 
 
Haughton Branch 
318.949.0196 
 
History Center 
318.746.7717 
 
Plain Dealing Branch 
318.326.4233 
 
Tooke Branch 
318.987.3915 
 
New & Coming Soon: 
The Adventures of Juan Planchard: A Novel by Jonathan Jakubowicz (Fiction; Book)
The Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness by Andrew Moore (Non-Fiction; Book)
Birds of Prey: New Crime Stories edited by Harlan Coben and C.J. Box (Fiction; Book)
A Catered PTA Murder: A Mystery with Recipes by Isis Crawford (Fiction; Book)
The Feywild Job: Dungeons & Dragons by C.L. Polk (Fiction; Book)
Guarded by the Sheriff: Love Inspired Suspense by Monique Devere (Fiction; Book, eAudiobook)
Icarus 17: Box 88 Series, Book 4 by Charles Cumming (Fiction; Book)
The Last Time We Saw Her: A Novel by Jaclyn Goldis (Fiction; Book, eAudiobook)
A Life So True: Minnesota Legacy, Book 2 by Tracie Peterson (Fiction; Book, eBook, eAudiobook)
Love You More: A Novel by Emily Giffin (Fiction; Book, eBook, eAudiobook)
Poppy Montgomery Gets Even: Poppy Montgomery Series, Book 1 by Gordon Jack (Fiction; Book)
The Raven at the Ash Door: Oak & Holly Cycle, Book 3 by K.A. Linde (Fiction; Book)
Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood (Fiction; Book, eBook, eAudiobook)
Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels (Fiction; Book, eBook, eAudiobook)
Whisper Creek: A Thriller by Allison Brennan (Fiction; Book, eBook, eAudiobook)
You First: A Joe Goldberg Prequel, Book 0.5 by Caroline Kepnes (Fiction; Book, eBook, eAudiobook)