Major Meteor Showers in 2026
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| Geminids on the evening of December 13, 2025 |
DRAFT December 29, 2025
Jump to: (Showers in Bold in this table of contents are worth watching, showers in BOLD CAPS are the best of the year, and the other ones likely aren't worth watching in 2026 due to moonlight. I don't include radiant charts for showers that I advise you skip.)
In 2025, many of the major showers were relatively free of moonlight interference. For me, the weather was a bit of a pain, and I ended up doing some observing outside of the peak mornings, leading to underwhelming rates. The Geminids were an exception, and I got to see an excellent display, although a cloud band did move through at an inopportune time.
2026 starts out with the Quadrantids being spoiled by the Moon. The Eta Aquariids and South Delta Aquariids are also "mooned" during their maxima, but the rest of the major showers have some observing windows. 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, and to enjoy even the most active ones you need some patience, skill, timing, and luck. 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 pre-dawn 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, ~21:00 UT (= 1:00pm PST; = 4:00pm EST)
Moon: Full Moon (major interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: The Quadrantids are spoiled by the Moon in 2026, so I wouldn't bother. True die-hards are always welcome to go out, but expect a few meteors at most.
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 radiant is in a rather blank area surrounded by the constellation figures of Boötes, Hercules, Draco and Ursa Major.
LYRIDS
Predicted Maximum: April 22, ~19:40 UT (= 12:40pm PDT; = 3:40pm EDT)
Moon: Waxing Crescent (moderate interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: For North American observers in 2026, try either the morning of Wednesday, April 22nd or Thursday, April 23rd. From my location, there will be about 3 hours between moonset and morning twilight on the 22nd, and 2 hours on the 23rd. (About 1:30am to 4:30am on the 22nd, and 2:30am to 4:30am on the 23rd.)
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 6 (broad)
Moon: Waning Gibbous (major interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: The Eta Aquariids are only visible for a short period around the time morning twilight begins, and in 2026 they will share the morning sky with a very bright Moon. This already-difficult shower will be even less productive. Skip it until 2027, when the Moon will be out of the way.
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.
SOUTHERN DELTA AQUARIIDS
Predicted Maximum: July 31 (broad)
Moon: Full Moon (major interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: Even though the South Delta Aquariids have a broad peak, the Moon will be a constant nuisance. Skip this shower in 2026.
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. You need clear, dark skies to even begin to see a decent number of these often-faint meteors.
PERSEIDS
Predicted Maximum: August 12-13
Moon: New Moon (no interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: This year's Perseid peak will be untouched by moonlight. The best bet will be to watch during the morning hours of Thursday, August 13th, from midnight to the beginning of morning twilight. Perseid watches can actually start an hour or two before midnight from mid-northern locations. The mornings of Wednesday, August 12th and Friday, August 14th should also be decent, with maybe half as many Perseids as on the 13th.
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. The Perseids are one of the three most prolific annual meteor showers, and have often produced a maximum Zenithal Hourly Rate of over 100. However, peak rates seem to have dipped in recent years.
From the International Meteor Organization's 2026 Meteor Shower Calendar: "[Mikhail] Maslov's modelling indicates that the background (permanent) activity is expected to be notably lower than the usually quoted ZHR of 100 until 2026. Only in 2027 will the Earth pass sections of the stream that have been disturbed by Jupiter once more, which may then cause higher general rates again."
So, we could be looking at fairly low rates for the Perseids this year, but from a dark site on the morning of August 13th, a perceptive observer might see up to 50 Perseids per hour. Light pollution, inattention, and poor sky conditions will put a big dent in those numbers.
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 that add to the display, especially from ideal dark observing sites.
ORIONIDS
Predicted Maximum: October 21 (broad and irregular)
Moon: Waxing Gibbous (minor to moderate interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: As long as you're OK with getting up early on a weekday morning, the Moon isn't really a big deal this year. The morning of Wednesday, October 21st from moonset (~2am) to the beginning of morning twilight would be the traditional maximum, but Tuesday or Thursday morning could be as good or better. Tuesday morning moonrise will be about 1 hour earlier (1 more hour of darkness), and Thursday's will be about 1 hour later. 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 17/18
Moon: First Quarter (no interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: By the time the Leonid radiant is at a useful elevation, the Moon will be out of the way. The Leonids aren't likely to produce much this year, but you could watch from around 2am to the beginning of morning twilight on either Tuesday, November 17th or Wednesday, 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.
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, ~14h UT (= 6am PST; = 9am EST)
Moon: Waxing Crescent (minor interference)
WHEN TO WATCH: The best time to watch the Geminids in 2026 is the late evening (about 9pm) of Sunday, December 13th until morning twilight on Monday, December 14th. The crescent Moon will set at about the time that the radiant is at a useful elevation. In any case, most of the night will be free from moonlight interference. The previous morning of Sunday the 13th should also be pretty good. By the evening of Monday, December 14th, rates will probably be dropping precipitously, but the shower may still be worth watching as sometimes the post-peak evening produces a higher proportion of bright meteors.
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. In 2025, I was able to observe rates of over 100 per hour for a couple of hours under dark but not perfect skies! Unlike any other shower in this outlook, the Geminids have a radiant that rises to a useful altitude in the 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 2025, I didn't see any fireball-class Geminids until right at the peak. 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 shower that is not reliable enough to include in the main outlook, but may either show up in news feeds or be worth it for true meteor nerds:
September Epsilon Perseids: This shower has produced a couple of outbursts. It's not extremely likely to do so in 2026, but the Earth may cross several debris trails on September 10th. (Wednesday, September 9th ~11pm PDT, =Thursday, September 10th, 2am EDT.) This shower's radiant is near the bright eclipsing variable star Algol.
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.
Outside Links
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 2026 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 2020-2026 by Wes Stone and may be reproduced for not-for-profit use so long as credit is given.
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