Meteor Shower Calendar

The Meteor Shower Calendar below lists every major annual shower’s peak dates, expected hourly rates, and how much moonlight will interfere with viewing on any given night — calculated live for the year you pick, not guessed in advance. Enter a year, check the moon conditions before you plan a late night outside, and download a printable PDF version to keep on hand for the season.

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Meteor Shower Calendar

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Meteor Showers at a Glance

Quadrantids

Active: Dec 28 – Jan 12 · Peak: Jan 3–4 · ZHR: up to 120 · Parent: asteroid 2003 EH1

The peak window is unusually narrow, often just 6 hours of full activity, so missing it by even half a day can mean a much thinner show despite the high theoretical ZHR. The radiant sits far north, near the Big Dipper in the now-defunct constellation Quadrans Muralis, which makes the shower difficult to observe from much of the Southern Hemisphere. Meteors travel at a medium speed of roughly 25 miles per second and rarely leave visible trains, but the shower is known for producing bright fireballs. Cold January weather and the tight peak window make this one of the harder showers to actually catch at full strength, even in a good year.

Lyrids

Active: Apr 14–30 · Peak: Apr 21–22 · ZHR: ~18 · Parent: Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1)

The radiant sits near the bright star Vega in Lyra, which climbs high in the northeastern sky well before dawn. Meteors move fast, around 30 miles per second, and while most leave no visible trail, the shower does produce the occasional fireball. Good rates typically hold for about three nights centered on the peak rather than a single sharp night. This is primarily a Northern Hemisphere event; southern observers can catch some activity but at reduced rates.

Eta Aquariids

Active: Apr 19 – May 28 · Peak: May 5–6 · ZHR: ~50 · Parent: 1P/Halley

This shower comes from debris shed by Halley’s Comet, the same parent body behind the Orionids later in the year. Meteors are swift, over 40 miles per second, and a high percentage leave persistent glowing trains lasting a second or more. It’s strongest from the southern tropics, where rates can reach the full ZHR; observers north of the equator typically see only 10–30 per hour since the radiant sits lower in the sky. The best window is the hour or two just before dawn, when the radiant in Aquarius is highest.

Southern Delta Aquariids

Active: Jul 12 – Aug 23 · Peak: Jul 29–30 · ZHR: ~25 · Parent: 96P/Machholz

Meteors are faint and slow-to-medium in speed, producing steady rates rather than dramatic bursts. Best seen from southern latitudes, where the radiant near Aquarius climbs higher; from mid-northern latitudes rates drop noticeably. Activity overlaps almost exactly with the Alpha Capricornids, so late-July and early-August nights can show combined meteors from both streams even outside either shower’s exact peak.

Alpha Capricornids

Active: Jul 12 – Aug 12 · Peak: Jul 30–31 · ZHR: ~5 · Parent: 169P/NEAT

Overall rates are low, but this shower punches above its weight in bright, slow-moving fireballs, some of the most memorable of the year. It’s one of the few showers visible equally well from both hemispheres, and unlike most showers it doesn’t require a pre-dawn wait — the radiant in Capricornus is well placed in the evening sky too. The trade-off is patience: with a ZHR around 5, you may wait a while between meteors even at peak.

Perseids

Active: Jul 17 – Aug 24 · Peak: Aug 12–13 · ZHR: ~100 · Parent: 109P/Swift-Tuttle

Debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle produces fast, bright meteors that frequently include fireballs, which is a big part of why this is the most popular meteor shower of the year. The shower remains active for more than a month, with rates generally increasing toward a strong maximum around the peak nights. It favors the Northern Hemisphere, with the best rates typically after midnight through dawn once the radiant near Perseus has climbed well clear of the horizon. Warm summer nights and reliably strong rates make it the easiest major shower to plan around.

Orionids

Active: Oct 2 – Nov 7 · Peak: Oct 21–22 · ZHR: ~20 · Parent: 1P/Halley

Like the Eta Aquariids, this shower comes from Halley’s Comet debris, just encountered at a different point in Earth’s orbit. Meteors are swift, around 41 miles per second, and occasionally produce fireballs, though persistent trains are less common than with its May counterpart. Typical years bring modest rates of around 10–20 meteors per hour, but the shower has produced exceptional displays in the past, with rates briefly rivaling the Perseids. The radiant near Orion is best placed in the hours before dawn.

Taurids (Northern & Southern)

Active: Sep – Nov · Peaks: Nov 4–5 (S), Nov 11–12 (N) · ZHR: ~5 each · Parent: 2P/Encke

Both branches come from Comet Encke and produce some of the slowest meteors of any annual shower, which gives them an unusually long, lingering streak across the sky. Individual rates are low, around 5 per hour each, but the shower has an outsized reputation for dramatic, very bright fireballs, sometimes called “Halloween fireballs” when they cluster in late October. Because the Southern and Northern branches peak about a week apart and both remain active for weeks, Taurid fireballs can be seen across a broad stretch of autumn, with activity often especially noticeable from late October into early November.

Leonids

Active: Nov 6–30 · Peak: Nov 17–18 · ZHR: ~15 · Parent: 55P/Tempel-Tuttle

Debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle produces fast meteors, among the swiftest of any annual shower, often leaving fine, glowing trains. Typical years bring modest rates, but the Leonids are famous for occasional true meteor storms, thousands of meteors per hour, tied to the comet’s roughly 33-year orbital period and documented in 1833, 1866, 1966, and again from 1999 through 2002. Outside of those rare storm years, expect a solid but unremarkable shower best viewed after midnight.

Geminids

Active: Dec 4–17 · Peak: Dec 13–14 · ZHR: ~120–150 · Parent: asteroid 3200 Phaethon

Unusually for a major shower, the Geminids come from an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon, rather than a comet, which gives the meteors a distinct character: medium speed, unusually bright, and often visibly colored. This is usually the strongest and most reliable major shower of the year, with a ZHR around 150. It’s also one of the few showers worth watching from early evening rather than waiting until after midnight, since the radiant near Gemini rises early and climbs steadily through the night.

Ursids

Active: Dec 17–26 · Peak: Dec 22 · ZHR: ~10 · Parent: 8P/Tuttle

Debris from Comet 8P/Tuttle produces a modest shower that gets overlooked, arriving just after the Geminids and right into the holiday rush. Rates are typically low, but the shower has produced occasional short, unpredicted bursts well above its normal ZHR. The radiant sits near Polaris and stays above the horizon all night for Northern Hemisphere observers, though it’s essentially invisible south of the equator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ZHR mean?

ZHR stands for Zenithal Hourly Rate — the theoretical number of meteors a single observer would see per hour under a perfectly dark sky, with the radiant directly overhead and no moonlight. Actual counts are usually much lower, because real observing conditions rarely match the ideal assumptions behind ZHR. Radiant height, moonlight, light pollution, sky transparency, and obstructions all reduce the number of meteors you’ll actually see.

Why does moon phase matter for meteor viewing?

A bright moon washes out fainter meteors the same way city lights do. A shower with a high ZHR can still be a disappointing night if it peaks near a full moon, while a modest shower under a new moon can outperform expectations. Check the moon illumination percentage in the calendar above before planning a night out.

What’s the best time of night to watch?

Most showers are best after midnight, once the radiant has climbed higher in the sky and local light pollution from evening activity has died down. The Geminids are a notable exception, producing good rates from early evening on.

Do meteor shower peak dates change every year?

Only slightly. The peak usually falls around the same calendar dates each year, since it’s tied to Earth’s position in its orbit, but the exact date and time of maximum can shift from year to year.

Do I need a telescope or binoculars?

No. Meteors move too fast to track through any kind of optics. The naked eye, given 20–30 minutes to adjust to the dark, is the best tool for meteor watching because you need a wide, unobstructed view of the sky.

For real-time activity outlooks and the full technical shower calendar, the International Meteor Organization is the most authoritative source available. If you’re not sure what you’re actually looking at streaking overhead, our guide on the difference between a meteor, meteoroid, and meteorite covers the basics.

Shower activity windows, peak dates, ZHR, and parent body data reflect long-term averages compiled from IMO shower calendars. Moon illumination above is calculated live for the year selected.