With the Perseid meteor shower approaching its peak under moonless skies, new analysis from The Action Network ranks Arizona as the No. 2 state in America for spotting meteors, behind only California.
Arizona stands out for having some of the most reliable viewing conditions in the country, including 197 clear days per year and 48 observatories, both the highest of any state.
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Some key findings:
- Arizona ranks No. 2 nationally with a 5.14% implied meteor-spotting probability, behind only California.
- Arizona has 197 clear days a year, the most of any state in the analysis.
- The state has 48 observatories, also the highest total in the country.
- Arizona recorded 981 fireball events between 2021 and 2025.
- The state has 26 DarkSky-certified places, putting it among the strongest states for protected dark-sky access.
- Arizona has an average elevation of 4,100 feet, another advantage for night-sky viewing.
- The study identifies Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim near Tusayan as Arizona’s recommended viewing location, with a Bortle Class 1 sky, the darkest category on the scale.
Overall, Arizona’s combination of clear weather, astronomy infrastructure, elevation and dark-sky access gives it a 5.14% implied spotting probability and No. 2 national ranking.
The ranking was created using six factors: Bortle Class 1–3 dark-sky zones, annual clear days, recorded fireball activity, observatory count, DarkSky-certified places and average elevation.
You can explore the full 50-state ranking and methodology here: https://www.actionnetwork.com/entertainment/where-in-america-are-you-most-likely-to-spot-a-meteor
