Meteor shower calendar
The 13 principal annual meteor showers, ordered by their next peak. Every peak time is computed from the shower's solar longitude (the way the professional calendars define it), and every row carries the verdict that actually decides your night: how bright the Moon will be. Each shower's page adds a calculator for the best viewing hours from your exact location.
| Next peak (UTC) | Shower | ZHR | Moon | Best from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2026 | Delta Aquariids | 25 | Moon 96% | southern |
| July 31, 2026 | Alpha Capricornids | 5 | Moon 96% | both, favoring southern |
| August 13, 2026 | Perseids | 100 | Moon 0% | northern |
| October 9, 2026 | Draconids | 5 | Moon 3% | northern |
| October 21, 2026 | Orionids | 20 | Moon 78% | both |
| November 5, 2026 | Southern Taurids | 5 | Moon 12% | both |
| November 12, 2026 | Northern Taurids | 5 | Moon 11% | both |
| November 17, 2026 | Leonids | 15 | Moon 55% | both |
| December 14, 2026 | Geminids | 150 | Moon 25% | both, favoring northern |
| December 22, 2026 | Ursids | 10 | Moon 98% | northern |
| January 4, 2027 | Quadrantids | 80 | Moon 12% | northern |
| April 23, 2027 | Lyrids | 18 | Moon 95% | northern |
| May 6, 2027 | Eta Aquariids | 50 | Moon 0% | southern |
Reading the table
ZHR is the idealized zenithal hourly rate, not a forecast; expect about half of it under a truly dark sky and far less from town. The Moon column is computed for the moment of each peak: below about 30% lit counts as dark, and anything much past 65% washes out all but the brightest meteors. "Best from" reflects where the radiant climbs high; a southern radiant never gets far above a northern horizon, and vice versa.
For the mechanics behind all of this, radiants, ZHR geometry, why streams exist at all, start with how meteor showers work. Tonight's active radiants are drawn live on the Sky Map.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best meteor shower of the year?
By the numbers, the December Geminids: the highest rates (ZHR 150), bright meteors, and evening-friendly hours. The August Perseids run them close and win on comfort. In any given year, though, the Moon decides: a washed-out Geminid peak can lose to a moonless minor shower, which is why every peak on this page carries a Moon verdict.
Why do meteor showers happen on the same dates every year?
Each shower is a river of comet (or asteroid) debris strung along an orbit that crosses ours. Earth reaches the same crossing point at the same place in its orbit each year, so each shower returns on schedule, shifting only slightly as the calendar and the stream drift.
Do I need a telescope to watch a meteor shower?
No, and using one actively hurts: meteors streak across tens of degrees of sky in a second, far more than any telescope or binocular field shows. Meteor watching is strictly a naked-eye sport; the equipment that matters is a reclining chair, warm clothes and a dark site.