Meteor shower 2027
Orionid meteor shower 2027
Updated
Next Orionid peak: night of Oct 21–22, 2027 (ZHR 20) Active Oct 2 – Nov 7; Moon 58% lit at peak (bright Moon, fewer faint meteors).
When the Orionids peak in 2027, how many meteors to expect, how bright the Moon will be, and where to look, computed from the International Meteor Organization's shower parameters.
- Peak
- Oct 22, 2027 2027-10-22 00:35 UTC, solar longitude 208°
- ZHR at peak
- 20 meteors per hour, ideal sky, radiant overhead
- Moon at peak
- 58% lit Waning gibbous, bright Moon, fewer faint meteors
- Radiant
- RA 6h 20m, Dec +16° ORI
- Speed
- 66 km/s fast
- Best from
- Both hemispheres
- Parent body
- Halley's Comet (1P/Halley)
When the Orionids peak in 2027
In 2027 the Orionids peak at 2027-10-22 00:35 UTC, when the Sun reaches solar longitude 208° (J2000). That makes the night of Oct 21–22 the one to watch; the activity window opens October 2, 361 days from now.
The Moon will be 58% illuminated (waning gibbous) at the peak: bright Moon, fewer faint meteors. In 2028 the peak falls on Oct 21, 2028 with the Moon 13% lit, a better year.
From 45° N the radiant stands 8° high at 10 pm and 61° at 4 am local time, so the pre-dawn hours are best. With the radiant at 61°, a ZHR of 20 means roughly 17 meteors per hour under a perfectly dark sky; light pollution and moonlight cut that a lot. The radiant never rises south of about 74° S.
How high the radiant gets
Radiant altitude on the peak night at 10 pm and 4 am local time. The higher the radiant, the more meteors you see.
| Latitude | 10 pm | 4 am |
|---|---|---|
| 50° N (London, Calgary) | 9° | 56° |
| 35° N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 5° | 71° |
| Equator | below horizon | 73° |
| 35° S (Sydney, Buenos Aires) | below horizon | 39° |
How to watch the Orionids
Get away from street lights, let your eyes adapt for 20–30 minutes, and look about 40–60° away from the radiant rather than straight at it; meteors appear all over the sky and their trails point back to the radiant (RA 6h 20m, Dec +16°). No telescope or binoculars needed.
Orionid meteors enter the atmosphere at 66 km/s, fast enough that many leave glowing trains that linger for a second or two. The Orionids are the second shower from Halley's Comet. They are fast and often leave persistent trains. The radiant near Orion's club rises around 11 pm, and rates climb until dawn.
Orionids peak dates
| Year | Peak (UTC) | Best night | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 2027-10-22 00:35 UTC | Oct 21–22 | 58% lit |
| 2028 | 2028-10-21 06:43 UTC | Oct 20–21 | 13% lit |
| 2029 | 2029-10-21 12:52 UTC | Oct 21–22 | 99% lit |
Peak times come from the mean solar longitude of maximum; real peaks can shift by several hours, and unexpected outbursts happen.
Next meteor showers
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Data: International Meteor Organization (working list), GodsView computed Moon and radiant positions.