When exactly would I want to watch the Perseid meteor shower in California and why?

Question

I hear the moon sets at 1:30 and dawn begins to lighten the sky at 4:30. Is that correct? I also hear the the peak is from 4 am to 5 am. Is that also correct? Would it be juicy enough, meteor-wise, to watch from 3 to four, or is four to five vastly superior?

Answer 1

If you start from 3:00am  to 4:00am on August 12, you will have the chance to watch more meteors, continuing until dawn.

If you want to spend only one hour, you should try to watch at 4:00 am Aug 12, because the peak is predicted for that time, however to be fair I must say that the predictions are not always accurate.

Why should you observe? Because it is one of the coolest, free spectacles that nature can provide.