Meteor shower calendar
Every major shower for the coming year: peak night, how strong it usually is, and how much moonlight will get in the way.
Orionids
Peak night Oct 21–22
Active October 2 – November 7, 2026
Halley’s Comet again, met on the other side of its orbit. Fast meteors after midnight.
Moon 82% lit
Southern Taurids
Peak night Nov 4–5
Active September 20 – November 20, 2026
Low rates but rich in fireballs through autumn. Linked to comet 2P/Encke.
Moon 16% lit
Northern Taurids
Peak night Nov 11–12
Active October 20 – December 10, 2026
The Southern Taurids’ twin, active a little later. Watch for fireballs.
Moon 8% lit
Leonids
Peak night Nov 16–17
Active November 6–30, 2026
Famous for historic meteor storms. Debris from comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle.
Moon 48% lit
Geminids
Peak night Dec 13–14
Active December 4–17, 2026
Often the strongest shower of the year, and good before midnight. Debris from asteroid 3200 Phaethon.
Moon 22% lit
Ursids
Peak night Dec 21–22
Active December 17–26, 2026
A modest shower around the winter solstice. Debris from comet 8P/Tuttle.
Moon 95% lit
Quadrantids
Peak night Jan 3–4
Active December 28, 2026 – January 12, 2027
Short, sharp peak of only a few hours. Debris from asteroid 2003 EH1.
Moon 11% lit
Lyrids
Peak night Apr 21–22
Active April 14–30, 2027
One of the oldest recorded showers. Debris from comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher).
Moon 98% lit
Eta Aquariids
Peak night May 5–6
Active April 19 – May 28, 2027
Debris from Halley’s Comet. Best in the hours before dawn.
Moon 0% lit
Southern Delta Aquariids
Peak night Jul 30–31
Active July 12 – August 23, 2027
A steady, modest summer shower that overlaps the early Perseids.
Moon 7% lit
Alpha Capricornids
Peak night Jul 30–31
Active July 3 – August 15, 2027
Few meteors, but known for slow, bright fireballs.
Moon 7% lit
Perseids
Peak night Aug 12–13
Active July 17 – August 24, 2027
The summer favourite: warm nights and plenty of meteors. Debris from comet 109P/Swift–Tuttle.
Moon 86% lit
Dates: American Meteor Society calendar. Moon illumination on peak night: our calculation. "Major/Medium/Minor" is our own grouping by typical strength.
Tips
Most showers are best after midnight, once your side of Earth faces into the debris stream. Lie back, look about halfway up, and give it at least half an hour. A bright Moon hides all but the brightest meteors, which is why moonlight matters as much as the shower itself.
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