Meteor shower tonight
Meteor showers 2026–2027
Updated
Tonight: Orionids (past peak), Southern Taurids (past peak), Northern Taurids (peak Nov 12) Next peak: Northern Taurids on the night of Nov 12–13 (ZHR 5, Moon 11% lit).
Every major meteor shower with its computed peak date, hourly rate, Moon phase at the peak and the best hemisphere, plus the latest fireballs detected by US government sensors.
- Active tonight
- Orionids, Southern Taurids, Northern Taurids plus sporadic meteors, ~5–10/h
- Next peak
- Northern Taurids Nov 12, 2026 (18 days)
- Next major shower (ZHR 50+)
- Geminids Dec 14, 2026, Moon 25% lit
- Moon tonight
- 100% lit Full Moon
- Latest reported fireball
- 2026-10-04 over open ocean or remote area
Is there a meteor shower tonight?
3 showers are active tonight: the Orionids, which peaked 4 days ago, so rates are now below their ZHR of 20; the Southern Taurids, which peaked 15 days ago, so rates are now below their ZHR of 5; the Northern Taurids, which peak in 18 days (ZHR 5).
The Moon is 100% lit tonight (full moon), which will hide fainter meteors. Northern Taurids: night of Nov 12–13 (Moon 11%); Leonids: night of Nov 17–18 (Moon 55%); Geminids: night of Dec 14–15 (Moon 25%).
Meteor shower calendar 2026
2026 has 4 major showers (ZHR 50+). The Perseids and Geminids peak with little moonlight, the best conditions of the year. The Quadrantids are hampered by a 100%-lit Moon. The Eta Aquariids are hampered by a 82%-lit Moon.
| Shower | Peak night | ZHR | Moon at peak | Radiant | Best from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | Jan 3–4 | 80 | 100% | 15h 20m, +49° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Lyrids | Apr 22–23 | 18 | 36% | 18h 04m, +34° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Eta Aquariids | May 5–6 | 50 | 82% | 22h 32m, −1° | Southern Hemisphere and tropics |
| Southern Delta Aquariids | Jul 30–31 | 25 | 99% | 22h 40m, −16° | Southern Hemisphere |
| Alpha Capricornids | Jul 30–31 | 5 | 99% | 20h 28m, −10° | Southern Hemisphere |
| Perseids | Aug 12–13 | 100 | 0% | 3h 12m, +58° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Draconids | Oct 8–9 | 10 | 3% | 17h 28m, +54° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Southern Taurids | Oct 10–11 | 5 | 0% | 2h 08m, +9° | Both hemispheres |
| Orionids | Oct 21–22 | 20 | 79% | 6h 20m, +16° | Both hemispheres |
| Northern Taurids | Nov 12–13 | 5 | 11% | 3h 52m, +22° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Leonids | Nov 17–18 | 15 | 55% | 10h 08m, +22° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Geminids | Dec 14–15 | 150 | 25% | 7h 28m, +33° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Ursids | Dec 22–23 | 10 | 98% | 14h 28m, +76° | Northern Hemisphere |
Meteor shower calendar 2027
2027 has 4 major showers (ZHR 50+). The Quadrantids and Eta Aquariids peak with little moonlight, the best conditions of the year. The Perseids are hampered by a 87%-lit Moon. The Geminids are hampered by a 98%-lit Moon.
| Shower | Peak night | ZHR | Moon at peak | Radiant | Best from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | Jan 3–4 | 80 | 12% | 15h 20m, +49° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Lyrids | Apr 22–23 | 18 | 95% | 18h 04m, +34° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Eta Aquariids | May 6–7 | 50 | 0% | 22h 32m, −1° | Southern Hemisphere and tropics |
| Southern Delta Aquariids | Jul 30–31 | 25 | 10% | 22h 40m, −16° | Southern Hemisphere |
| Alpha Capricornids | Jul 30–31 | 5 | 10% | 20h 28m, −10° | Southern Hemisphere |
| Perseids | Aug 12–13 | 100 | 87% | 3h 12m, +58° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Draconids | Oct 8–9 | 10 | 67% | 17h 28m, +54° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Southern Taurids | Oct 10–11 | 5 | 80% | 2h 08m, +9° | Both hemispheres |
| Orionids | Oct 21–22 | 20 | 58% | 6h 20m, +16° | Both hemispheres |
| Northern Taurids | Nov 12–13 | 5 | 98% | 3h 52m, +22° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Leonids | Nov 17–18 | 15 | 80% | 10h 08m, +22° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Geminids | Dec 14–15 | 150 | 98% | 7h 28m, +33° | Northern Hemisphere |
| Ursids | Dec 22–23 | 10 | 21% | 14h 28m, +76° | Northern Hemisphere |
Recent fireballs
Bright fireballs detected by US government sensors and published by NASA JPL's Center for Near Earth Object Studies. Energies are the light radiated (×10¹⁰ J) and the estimated impact energy in kilotons of TNT.
| Date (UTC) | Location | Radiated energy | Impact energy | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-04 03:14:45 | 41.8°S 173.1°W | 5.4 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.18 kt | 26.9 km |
| 2026-09-15 11:26:13 | 37.6°S 161.6°W | 2.2 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.079 kt | 37.0 km |
| 2026-09-11 10:18:03 | 0.2°S 129.6°W | 6.1 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.2 kt | 70.0 km |
| 2026-09-11 01:12:11 | 54.4°N 100.1°W (395 km from Prince Albert) | 24.6 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.67 kt | 38.0 km |
| 2026-09-10 05:22:22 | 19.3°S 28.1°W | 11.1 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.33 kt | 33.6 km |
| 2026-08-15 07:32:40 | 4.0°N 115.4°W | 3.9 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.13 kt | 37.0 km |
| 2026-08-14 07:48:36 | 47.7°N 119.4°W (75 km from Wenatchee) | 3.8 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.13 kt | 30.0 km |
| 2026-08-01 17:43:48 | 19.5°S 176.2°E (279 km from Suva) | 2.9 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.1 kt | 45.0 km |
| 2026-07-21 01:14:45 | 9.4°N 57.4°W (300 km from Georgetown) | 3.2 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.11 kt | 31.5 km |
| 2026-06-11 02:00:58 | 18.7°S 16.1°E (186 km from Ondjiva) | 3.2 ×10¹⁰ J | 0.11 kt | 33.0 km |
What ZHR means
Zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) is how many meteors one observer would see in an hour under a perfectly dark sky (magnitude 6.5) with the radiant straight overhead. Real counts are lower: multiply by the sine of the radiant's altitude, and expect half or less from a suburban sky or with a bright Moon.
Meteor showers
More sky pages
Data: International Meteor Organization (working list), NASA JPL CNEOS fireball data, GodsView computed Moon and radiant positions.