Meteor showers in 2026
Every major meteor shower of 2026: peak nights, expected rates, and how much the Moon will interfere — from the International Meteor Organization's calendar.
Quadrantids
ZHR 80Peaked: January 3, 2026, ~21:00 UTC
Moon: Poor — bright Moon washes out faint meteors
A short, sharp peak of blue-tinged meteors — blink and the best hours are gone.
Lyrids
ZHR 18Peaked: April 22, 2026, ~19:40 UTC
Moon: Fair — some moonlight
One of the oldest recorded showers — modest rates but occasional bright fireballs.
Eta Aquariids
ZHR 50Peaked: May 6, 2026
Moon: Poor — bright Moon washes out faint meteors
Debris from Halley's Comet — fast meteors best caught in the hour before dawn.
Southern Delta Aquariids Next up
ZHR 25Peak: July 31, 2026
Moon: Poor — bright Moon washes out faint meteors
A steady southern-sky shower with a broad, gentle peak.
Perseids
ZHR 100Peak: August 13, 2026, ~03:00 UTC
Moon: Excellent — dark skies
The year's most beloved shower — fast, bright meteors with persistent trains.
Orionids
ZHR 20Peak: October 21, 2026
Moon: Poor — bright Moon washes out faint meteors
Halley's Comet's second gift of the year — swift meteors near Orion's club.
Leonids
ZHR 15Peak: November 17, 2026, ~23:45 UTC
Moon: Fair — some moonlight
Famous for historic meteor storms — quiet years still deliver very fast meteors.
Geminids
ZHR 150Peak: December 14, 2026, ~14:00 UTC
Moon: Fair — some moonlight
The strongest annual shower — slow, bright, often colorful meteors all night long.
Ursids
ZHR 10Peak: December 22, 2026
Moon: Poor — bright Moon washes out faint meteors
The year's quiet closer, radiating from near the Little Dipper.
ZHR (zenithal hourly rate) is how many meteors per hour you'd see under a perfectly dark sky with the shower directly overhead — real-world rates are lower.
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