Meteor showers The next twelve months
Meteor shower calendar 2026–2027
The next big shower is the Leonids, peaking on the night of 17 to 18 November 2026. Below is every shower of the next twelve months, in order, with the peak night, the best time and the Moon for New York.
The next twelve months
Every shower worth watching, in the order of its next peak. The peak night, the best time and the meteors an hour from a dark site are worked out for your town's own sky, after allowing for the radiant's height, twilight and the Moon. Major showers link to their own guides.
| Shower | Peak night | Best time | Shower meteors an hourfrom a dark site | Moon then |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern TauridsJust peaked, best from the north | 12–13 Nov 2026 | 00:20 EST | 4 to 5 | 14% lit, down |
| LeonidsMajor shower, best from the north | 17–18 Nov 2026 | 04:20 EST | 8 to 9 | 59% lit, down |
| GeminidsMajor shower, best from the north | 13–14 Dec 2026 | 02:40 EST | up to 117 | 23% lit, down |
| UrsidsBest from the north | 21–22 Dec 2026 | 05:35 EST | 1 to 2 | 96% lit, up |
| QuadrantidsMajor shower, best from the north | 3–4 Jan 2027 | 02:40 EST | up to 21 | 11% lit, down |
| LyridsMajor shower, best from the north | 22–23 Apr 2027 | 04:25 EDT | 5 to 6 | 94% lit, up |
| Eta AquariidsMajor shower, best from the south | 6–7 May 2027 | 04:00 EDT | up to 12 | 1% lit |
| Southern Delta AquariidsBoth hemispheres | 30–31 Jul 2027 | 02:35 EDT | up to 13 | 7% lit |
| Alpha CapricornidsBoth hemispheres | 30–31 Jul 2027 | 02:35 EDT | 2 to 3 | 7% lit |
| PerseidsMajor shower, best from the north | 12–13 Aug 2027 | 04:20 EDT | up to 87 | 87% lit, down |
| DraconidsBest from the north | 8–9 Oct 2027 | 01:05 EDT | 2 to 3 | 66% lit, down |
| Southern TauridsBoth hemispheres | 10–11 Oct 2027 | 03:05 EDT | 3 to 4 | 83% lit, down |
| OrionidsMajor shower, both hemispheres | 21–22 Oct 2027 | 04:35 EDT | 7 to 8 | 54% lit, up |
The seven major showers
Each guide gives the peak night, the best time and meteors an hour for your town and for cities around the world, where to look, and what the Moon will do.
How to watch a meteor shower
- Find a dark spot away from street lights, with a wide view of the sky. A city centre shows only a fraction of the meteors a dark site does.
- Give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt to the dark, and keep your phone on the Meteor Tracker's red-light field mode.
- Lie back on a reclining chair rather than craning your neck. No telescope or binoculars needed.
- Watch for at least half an hour. Meteors come in bursts, with quiet spells in between.
- Mind the Moon. A bright Moon hides the fainter meteors: the calendar shows how much of it is lit at the best time.
Frequently Asked Questions
The next shower to peak is the Leonids, one of the major showers of the year, on the night of 17 to 18 November 2026. From New York the best time that night is about 04:20 EST.
The Geminids in mid-December are the strongest, with up to about 150 an hour under a perfect sky. The Perseids in August are the most watched, with warm nights in the north and up to about 100 an hour, and the Quadrantids in early January can match them for a few hours. How good any one year is depends on the Moon: the calendar shows how much of it is lit at each peak.
Hundreds of meteor streams are known, but only about a dozen give more than a few meteors an hour from a dark site. This calendar lists the thirteen worth watching: seven major showers and six smaller ones.
The hours after midnight, up to the first light of dawn. That is when your side of Earth faces forward along its orbit and sweeps up more grains, and when most radiants are highest. The Geminids are the main exception: their radiant is up from mid-evening.
No. Meteors are best seen with the naked eye, because they can appear anywhere in the sky. Find a dark spot away from lights, lie back, give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt and watch for at least half an hour.
Forecast for New York, worked out from the positions of the Sun, the Moon and each shower's radiant. Type your town into the Meteor Tracker for your own times. Last updated: .