Travel

Best spots to watch summer meteor showers in the Ark-La-Tex

KTAL Shreveport · Jul 21, 2026 23:43 · 3 min read

Best spots to watch summer meteor showers in the Ark-La-Tex

A new study by The Action Network has ranked Texas fourth in the nation for meteor watching potential, highlighting its high number of fireball reports and numerous DarkSky-certified locations.

TEXAS (KTAL/KMSS) — Stargazers in the area are expecting several meteor showers this summer, and the area has some incredible views.

A new study from The Action Network breaks down and ranks what states are best for spotting a meteor.

The study used dark-sky access, annual clear days, recorded fireball activity, observatories, DarkSky-certified places, and average elevation to assess all 50 states.

Texas

Texas ranked number four with a 4.16 percent probability. Between 2021 and 2025, the Lone Star State recorded 1,907 fireball reports, the second-highest total nationwide.

Texas boasts 11 witnessed meteorite falls, the most of any state in NASA‘s archive, and offers 21 DarkSky-certified places and 16 zones rated Bortle Class 1-3.

Texas boasts 14 observatories, 130 clear days, and sits at an average elevation of 1,700 feet

Big Bend National Park was voted the best place to watch a meteor shower in Texas.

Louisiana

Louisiana ranked number 40 with a 1.21 percent probability, recording 392 fireball reports.

The Bayou state averages 103 clear days per year, has no DarkSky certified places, nine Bortle Class zones, three observatories in the state, one witnessed meteorite fall, and an average elevation of 100 feet.

Tensas River National Refuge near Tallulah was selected as the best site to watch a meteor shower.

Arkansas

With 483 fireballs reported, Arkansas ranked number 31 with a 1.47 percent chance to see a meteor shower.

It averages 121 clear days per year, boasts one DarkSky certified location, three Bortle Class zones, and three observatories in the state.

Arkansas has six witnessed meteorite falls, including the 408-kilogram Paragould stone of 1930, the second-heaviest in NASA’s archive.

Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area was selected as the best site to watch a meteor shower.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma ranked number 10 with a 2.3 percent chance, recording 644 fireballs reported and five witnessed falls.

The Sooner State averages 133 clear days per year, has one DarkSky certified location, 15 Bortle Class zones, and four observatories.

The best place to watch a meteor shower is Black Mesa State Park and Nature Preserve.

Bortle classes

The Bortle Scale takes light pollution and sky glow into account and rates how well you can see celestial objects in a certain place. The lower the number, the darker the sky and easier it is to see objects in the sky.

Class 1 (Excellent Dark-Sky): Milky Way casts shadows; zodiacal light/airglow visible
Class 2 (Truly Dark Site): Very rich Milky Way; airglow visible on horizon.
Class 3 (Rural Sky): Slight light pollution on horizon; Milky Way remains complex.
Class 4 (Rural/Suburban): Obvious light pollution domes; Milky Way lacks fine structure.
Class 5 (Suburban Sky): Washed-out horizon; Milky Way visible only overhead; weak zodiacal light.
Class 6 (Bright Suburban): Grayish-white sky; challenging, but possible, deep-sky viewing.
Class 7 (Suburban/Urban): Bright, grayish-white sky; only bright constellations easily identified.
Class 8 (City Sky): Bright, orange/white sky; only bright stars visible.
Class 9 (Inner-City Sky): Brilliantly lit; hard to recognize constellations; limited star visibility.

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