Major Meteor Showers in 2025
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| A 2024 Perseid fireball over aurora and a smoky horizon |
(Early Draft)
2024 was a challenging year for meteor observing. The Moon diminished most of the major shower maxima, and weather prevented me from covering most of them in any case. My first observing session wasn't until July 31st, when I observed a normal mix of Southern Delta Aquariids, Alpha Capricornids, early Perseids, and sporadics. Perseid maximum on August 12th/13th featured smoky skies. I drove for a while and found a halfway decent spot. My best Perseid rate was 66 in one hour. The northern horizon featured an auroral display in the evening and morning twilight hours. I tried a couple of sessions during the Alpha Aurigids, to see if this shower might be more active than generally acknowledged. At least this year, that wasn't the case, with the shower producing about 3 meteors per hour on the mornings of August 31st and September 1st. August 31st did feature another aurora. On October 7th, I went out for an evening session to see if any Draconids would appear. The first thing I saw was yet another aurora, but the Draconids were active and I counted 14 in my first hour of observing. The Draconids aren't a major shower during most years, but I may have erred in not putting them in my 2024 outlook. The end of the year featured more bad weather; I saw one Geminid on the evening of December 12th before the sky clouded up.
2025 has much better moonlight circumstances for most showers (but not for the Perseids). My aim with this meteor shower outlook each year is to pinpoint the best times (if any) to watch the major meteor showers, and also to provide pointers about what to look for and how to increase the number of meteors you see and hopefully the satisfaction you receive from being out under the stars watching for meteors.
Just about every meteor shower, major or minor, now seems to warrant an "article" on a news site. While many of these entries cite reputable sources, they are a bit of a mishmash. Most meteor showers just don't warrant a headline. I hope to let folks know which meteor showers will actually be most active and have the best observing conditions.
Basic Meteor Observing Information
Several factors determine how many meteors you will see from a shower.
* One of the most important is the elevation of the shower radiant when you're watching. For most showers, the radiant is highest in the morning hours, and that's when you can expect the best rates. If the radiant is near or below the horizon, don't expect to see any shower meteors even if the sky is dark. For each shower, I list a "WHEN TO WATCH" window when the radiant is at a useful elevation. The local times I list in "WHEN TO WATCH" should be broadly valid for most sites in North America, regardless of your time zone or exact location. You may want to look up the beginning of morning astronomical twilight for a given date at your location. This can be found from planetarium software or some weather websites. I find that skies are still good enough for meteor observing for 15-30 minutes after the beginning of morning twilight.
* Clear, dark skies are essential for a rewarding meteor-watching experience. This is why the Moon causes so many problems--it's just natural light pollution. Get away from artificial light pollution as best you can--don't expect to see many meteors from an urban or suburban location. The light wipes out the fainter meteors and makes the moderately bright ones less noticeable. Try to get to a location where the Milky Way is easily visible. Obviously, clouds are a deal-breaker as well.
* The actual activity level of the shower has a big impact, of course. But I put it third on the list of factors because you have little control over it. The year's best showers generally have one night/morning that they are most active. The peak of activity may last for a few hours to many hours, but the exact timing is usually uncertain. If applicable, I list the "predicted maximum" time for each shower (based on past observations and the IMO Meteor Shower Calendar) along with conversions to Pacific and Eastern times. If the peak time occurs during your daylight hours (or during the night but before the radiant is high in the sky), pick the productive observing time that is nearest the peak (my "WHEN TO WATCH" gives suggestions).
* Your personal visual perception and experience also factor into how many meteors you see. For best results, make sure your eyes are dark-adapted (don't expose them to any bright or not-so-bright lights for a half-hour or so before you begin observing) and that you are comfortable. Meteor watching is a different sort of activity, both passive and active. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re going to watch, approach it with the mindset that that’s what you’re doing for the next hour or two. Bundle up in what it takes to get comfortable, find a good spot, and open your eyes to the sky!
* I get quite a few questions about "where to look". "Where to look'' is usually fairly easy: center your field of view high in the darkest, least-obstructed part of your sky. If you have tall trees or an overpowering city light dome in one direction, you probably should face another direction. You don't have to look right at the shower radiant. Indeed, you'll probably see fewer meteors if you do. But it's also nice and productive to keep the radiant somewhere within the field of view. If there's a bright Moon in the sky, keep it out of your field of view or try to block it with something, like a tree or a car or a chair...
Not all the meteors you will see will belong to the major shower. Sporadic (random) meteors are visible every night of the year. From dark sites, 5 to 15 or more sporadics may be seen each hour. Sporadics are most numerous in the predawn hours, when the Earth is running head-on into a lot of cometary debris. There are also minor showers active at the same time as most major showers. Most of these produce 0 to 2 meteors per hour even at peak activity.
When a meteor appears, make a note of its path against the stars. Hold a long shoestring or cord up against the sky at arm's length along this path. If you extend the meteor's path *backward* along the cord, does it eventually cross or come close to the shower radiant? If so, the meteor was probably a shower member. If not, the meteor was not a shower member. The "radiant charts" show the position of the radiants in the sky, along with some simulated shower meteor paths. The meteor paths are just examples, and they aren't completely accurate due to the projection required to display the apparent dome of the sky on a flat screen, but they should give you some idea of what to look for when you wonder whether a meteor is a member of a particular shower.
QUADRANTIDS
Predicted Maximum: January 3, ~15:00 UT (= 7:00am PST; = 10:00am EST)
Moon: Waxing Crescent (no interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: The most productive time to watch the Quadrantids in 2025 in Western North America will be from 2am to 6am local standard time on Friday, January 3rd. (For Asian observers, use the same times on Saturday, January 4th.) This is the time when the radiant will be highest and you should see the most meteors. Western North America and Asia (and the Pacific Ocean) are favored by the predicted maximum timing. Eastern North American observers will probably get their best rates on the morning of the 3rd as well. European observers may choose either the 3rd or the 4th, but will probably see lower rates on both mornings. Only observers in northern latitudes have a decent view of the Quadrantids. I'm excited for this year's Quadrantids, because my best Quadrantid show ever was in 2009 with a similar predicted maximum timing. On the morning of January 3rd, 2009, I averaged 110 Quadrantids per hour. I will hope for something approaching those numbers in 2025 if the skies are clear!
ABOUT THE QUADRANTIDS: The Quadrantids are one of the three strongest annual meteor showers, but are not well-known compared to the Perseids and Geminids. The Quadrantids peak in the dead of winter, and the radiant is far enough north that tropical and southern hemisphere observers (who would get better weather) don't see much from the shower. The peak is usually rather abrupt, lasting only a few hours. The timing also seems to vary a bit, so if the peak comes a few hours later than predicted, I might not see more than a couple dozen Quadrantids per hour in 2025 (still a decent shower). Also, while circumpolar from latitudes north of 40 degrees North, the radiant is poorly placed for most of the night--low in the sky during the evening, and then getting lower and skimming the northern horizon for hours until after midnight. So: watch during the morning hours, don’t expect too much, and you could be pleasantly surprised.
Quadrantids are medium-velocity meteors. The shower usually produces quite a few fireballs around the time of maximum activity. The radiant is in a rather blank area surrounded by the constellation figures of Boötes, Hercules, Draco and Ursa Major (see the radiant chart). The Quadrantids have a reputation for producing more bright meteors and fireballs around the time of the peak than during the rest of their activity period. Under good sky conditions, observers should also catch quite a few sporadic meteors that don't align with the Quadrantid radiant.
LYRIDS
Predicted Maximum: April 22, ~13:00 UT (= April 22, 6:00am PDT; = April 22, 9:00am EDT)Moon: Waning Crescent (moderate interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: The best time to watch the Lyrids in 2025 should be the morning of Tuesday, April 22nd, from local midnight through to morning twilight (4:35am daylight time at my location). The Moon will rise before morning twilight begins, and will be a thick crescent. The mornings of Monday the 21st or Wednesday the 23rd should also feature detectable Lyrid activity. The Moon will rise a bit before the beginning of morning twilight, but if you're still seeing meteors, keep watching after moonrise.
ABOUT THE LYRIDS: The Lyrids tend to produce 10-15 meteors per hour at maximum, so they aren't on par with the strongest annual showers. The radiant is between the bright star Vega and the Keystone of Hercules. Lyrids produce fairly fast meteors. Expect a range of bright and faint meteors. There usually aren't as many sporadic meteors during April, but you should still notice a few of these non-Lyrids.
ETA AQUARIIDS
Predicted Maximum: May 5-6? (broad)
Moon: Waxing Gibbous (minor interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: The Eta Aquariids are only visible for a short period around the time morning twilight begins. The nominal predicted peak is on May 6th, but the activity is broad and sometimes about equal for several days in a row. The Moon will be a waxing gibbous, and for most locations it will set before prime Eta Aquariid viewing time on the mornings of May 5th and 6th. The best bets are Monday and Tuesday mornings, May 5th and 6th, at the beginning of astronomical twilight in the morning. Look up the time of when astronomical morning twilight begins on those mornings at your location, and plan on watching from about an hour before that time to 15-20 minutes after that time. (You’ll figure out when to end the watch, because the sky will be getting too bright.) From my latitude of 42N, I’d expect to see 5-10 Eta Aquariids. From southern-tier US states, you might get 15-20.
ABOUT THE ETA AQUARIIDS: The Eta Aquariids usually have the fourth-strongest maximum among the major annual showers, but are difficult to observe. The radiant doesn't rise until the morning hours, and is still very low when twilight starts to brighten the sky. The situation is better for Southern Hemisphere observers, who may get a few hours of observing time. For northerners, the key is to watch during the last hour or so before twilight gets really bright. In terms of local time this depends on your latitude and also on your longitude with respect to the center of your time zone. Personally, I've had my best results from about 3:30-4:30am local daylight time.
The low radiant elevation (in the "head" of Aquarius) means that the earliest ETAs you see will be "earthgrazers": long, relatively slow and often tracing paths along the horizon. Bright earthgrazers are spectacular. Unfortunately, because of their greater distance from the observer, earthgrazers tend to be faint. As the radiant gets a bit higher, the ETAs take on more of their typical appearance: fast meteors, bright on average and often leaving a glowing train. (The Eta Aquariids should look similar to the Orionids of October - they are both associated with debris from Halley’s Comet.) You'll only catch a few of them, though, because dawn is approaching. This shower seems to fluctuate irregularly, and you could easily hit either a spurt or a lull during the all-too-brief observing windows.
SOUTHERN DELTA AQUARIIDS
Predicted Maximum: July 31 (broad)
Moon: Waxing Crescent (minor interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: The peak of the Southern Delta Aquariids is not well defined, and is usually broad and plateau-like. The IMO Meteor Shower Calendar says July 31, but at least in some years the peak is earlier. Any morning from July 28th through August 1st, and probably a few mornings outside these dates, is worth a watch from a dark location. Watch in the morning hours from midnight until morning twilight begins.
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN DELTA AQUARIIDS: The Southern Delta Aquariids are barely a major shower from 40 degrees N; southern observers have a somewhat better view. On a clear, moonless morning a North American observer might see 5-10 South Delta Aquariids each hour along with 15-25 meteors from other sources. Most of this activity, including the Southern Delta Aquariids, is faint on average. You need clear, dark skies to even begin to see a decent number of these meteors. Minor showers active at the time include the Alpha Capricornids (1-2/hour), Anthelion (1-3/hour), Piscis Austrinids (<1/hour), and the early part of the Perseids (~3/hour). During my observing session on July 31st, 2024, both Alpha Capricornids and Perseids were a bit more active than the rates above. Sporadic (random) meteors are also fairly prolific. So, while South Delta Aquariids by themselves are generally not spectacular, it's possible to see a lot of meteors on these mornings. Determining which shower a meteor came from can be a confusing exercise (see the radiant chart), and involves path length and velocity as well as alignment.
PERSEIDS
Predicted Maximum: August 12-13
Moon: Waning Gibbous (major interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: Unfortunately, the Perseids are badly affected by bright moonlight this year. On the evening of August 12th, the Moon rises just as twilight is ending, and then is up all night even as the Perseid radiant gets higher. Because the Perseids are prolific and bright, enough of the meteors may punch through the moonlight to warrant an observing session, but be prepared for a severely diminished show. Also note that in 2026 the Moon will be out of the way. In 2025, there's no really great observing window--the Moon will always be bright during prime Perseid hours. So, watch when you want, but the late evening hours of Tuesday, August 12th and the morning hours of Wednesday, August 13th will be closest to the peak. The mornings of the 12th and 14th should also have decent Perseid activity, but this will likely mean 10-20 Perseids per hour instead of 60-80 in a moonless year.
ABOUT THE PERSEIDS: This shower has a very long duration, from about July 15th through August 25th, but is most interesting and prolific around its peak on August 12th or 13th.
Perseids are fast meteors and tend to be fairly bright on average. This combination means that many Perseids will leave a glowing wake or train behind that persists anywhere from a fraction of a second to many seconds. Expect to see a few fireball-class Perseids (magnitude -3 or brighter), especially if you watch for multiple hours. Morning Perseid watches usually feature a good number of sporadic and minor-shower meteors, but those will also be scarce this year due to the Moon.
ORIONIDS
Predicted Maximum: October 21 (broad and irregular)
Moon: New Moon (no interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: The Orionids are best seen from about 1am until the beginning of morning twilight. The nominal peak morning is Tuesday, October 21st, but any morning between the 20th and 24th is likely to be worthwhile. The Moon is a non-factor this year. The Orionids have occasionally produced unusually high rates (and some mornings turn out to be duds), but in general expect about 15-25 Orionids per hour under good dark-sky conditions.
ABOUT THE ORIONIDS: The Orionids are capable of producing interesting activity from October 17th through the 25th. The Orionids are fast meteors, perhaps a bit faint on average, but the shower has some larger meteoroids capable of producing fireballs. As with the Eta Aquariids, the Orionids are debris associated with Halley's Comet. Note that the radiant is north of Betelgeuse, and not right in the middle of Orion.
While watching the Orionids, be alert for other meteors. A shower called the Epsilon Geminids produces meteors with similar characteristics to the Orionids, but from a radiant in the middle of Gemini. Both branches of the Taurids produce slower meteors, generally a couple to a few per hour. A shower called the Leonis Minorids produces very fast, trained meteors from a radiant between Ursa Major and Leo, visible for a short time before morning twilight begins. A good number of sporadic meteors join the display.
LEONIDS
Predicted Maximum: November 17
Moon: Waning Crescent (minor interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: The best time to watch the 2025 Leonids is the morning of Monday, November 17th from about 2am until the beginning of morning twilight. Asian observers will want to cover the morning of Tuesday, November 18th.
ABOUT THE LEONIDS: The Leonids are well-known for the spectacular storms they have produced in the past. Occasional enhancements in rates are possible even in non-storm years, but for the most part we are looking at around 10 Leonids per hour under dark-sky conditions. In 2025, the Moon will be a thin waning crescent, and won't really interfere with the show.
The Leonids are very fast meteors, and brighter ones often leave glowing wakes or persistent trains. Expect to see quite a few non-Leonids while watching, including the dregs of the Taurids and a number of sporadics.
GEMINIDS
Predicted Maximum: December 14, ~8h UT (= December 14, midnight PST; = December 14, 3am EST)
Moon: Waning Crescent (minor interference)
Radiant Chart
WHEN TO WATCH: The best time to watch the Geminids in 2025 is the late evening of Saturday, December 13th until morning twilight on Sunday, December 14th. The 25%-illuminated waning crescent Moon will rise between 2 and 3am, and will be a bit of a hindrance, but observing should still be productive after moonrise. In any case, most of the night will be free from moonlight interference. The hours around midnight on the previous night should also be pretty good. By the evening of Sunday, December 14th, rates will probably be dropping precipitously, but the shower may still be worth watching for European and Eastern North American observers.
ABOUT THE GEMINIDS:
The Geminids are often considered the best annual shower, especially in locales where winters are mild. The peak is broader than the Perseids and much broader than the Quadrantids, so it is easier to catch high rates. Unlike any other shower in this outlook, the Geminids have a radiant that rises to a useful altitude in the early evening (about 9pm at my latitude of 42 degrees N), and reaches its highest elevation at 2am. So, if your bedtime is before midnight, or you can't abide waking up early to go out before morning twilight, you can still get in a decent Geminid observing session.
Geminids are medium-speed meteors. Most of them don't leave glowing trains, but the brighter ones are often colored (yellow, green and blue are most common, and I usually see some fireballs with a violet tinge). The Geminids seem to produce quite a few fireballs, especially during and just after the peak. Pre-peak Geminids are fainter on average. (In 2023, I saw more fireballs before the peak than during and after, so samples may vary.) Quite a few sporadic and minor-shower meteors (including the fast Sigma Hydrids) join the show from dark sites. The Geminids can be enjoyed by observers in the Southern Hemisphere as well, although the radiant elevation is lower and the nights are shorter.
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Other Sources of Meteor Activity
The major showers listed here are fairly reliable and occur every year. However, meteor activity is visible on any clear night. Random sporadic meteors, minor showers, and major showers near the beginning or end of their activity period all contribute to this "background".
A couple of showers that I don't think are "major" enough to include in this outlook, but may either show up in news feeds or be worth it for true meteor nerds:
Draconids: This is an irregular shower. There may be some activity on October 8th, but there is a Full Moon.
Taurids: These are a couple of minor showers that last from September through November. They usually produce fewer than 5 meteors per hour. During certain years, the Earth encounters a "swarm" of larger meteoroids, and there are more fireballs than usual. The IMO calendar says that 2025 will be one of these years, and indicates "bright meteors and fireballs ... [for] about a week around November 3." The Moon is a waxing gibbous on November 3rd, and will cause problems for most of the night. The mornings prior to November 3rd have slightly better conditions, so if you're out with your telescope or just on a nocturnal walk or drive, keep an eye out for the odd fireball.
Ursids: This shower often makes it onto major shower lists, with a listed ZHR of 10. I don't think it reaches this level in normal years, and 2025 looks like a normal year. The best time to watch for Ursids is the late evening of Sunday, December 21st into the early morning of Monday, December 22nd. The Ursid radiant (near the star Kochab in the Little Dipper) is highest at the beginning of morning twilight, but is usefully high all night from mid-northern latitudes.
For the Northern Hemisphere, there is a general pattern of lower rates during the first half of the year and higher rates during the second half, but rates vary greatly from hour to hour, day to day, and observer to observer. Occasionally, unexpected high activity occurs. It is up to the observer to objectively report what was seen. Radar, radio scatter, all-sky fireball camera networks, and video meteor monitoring networks are important methods for monitoring meteor activity, including activity that is not well-suited to visual observing (minor showers, faint meteors, daylight meteor showers, etc.).
Other Meteor Shower Info.
The Finer Points of Meteor Shower Observing
Outside Links
The International Meteor Organization
NASA CAMS Meteor Shower Portal (recent meteor radiants as determined by video networks)
Clear Sky Charts (very useful for short-term forecasts)
General shower attributes and predicted times of maximum are adapted from personal data and also from the International Meteor Organization's 2025 Meteor Shower Calendar. Data at https://www.imo.net/members/imo_live_shower was also examined. Radiant charts were produced using maps from the free Cartes du Ciel application. All on-site text and contents are Copyright 2020-2025 by Wes Stone and may be reproduced for not-for-profit use so long as credit is given.
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