Meteor shower calendar 2026
Every meteor shower of 2026 that rises above the horizon from the United States, in date order, with its peak, its strength and the Moon. The major showers with little moonlight at their peak in 2026: Perseids, Draconids, Southern Taurids, Northern Taurids, Geminids.
All 2026 meteor shower peaks
Peaks in Eastern Time, from the International Meteor Organization's 2026 calendar or calculated from the peak's solar longitude. Best hours are for the night of the peak as seen from the middle of the country (Kansas City, Central Time); your city's page gives local times. ZHR is the rate under an ideal dark sky with the radiant overhead; expect fewer.
| Shower | Active | Peak (ET) | ZHR | Moon | Best hours (CT) | Radiant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | Dec 28–Jan 12 | Jan 3, 4:00 PM | 80 | Full or nearly full Moon | Sat, Jan 3, 5:02 AM–6:42 AM | Bootes |
| Gamma Ursae Minorids | Jan 10–Jan 22 | Jan 18, 6:13 AM | 3 | New Moon: dark skies | Sat, Jan 17, 3:24 AM–6:34 AM | Ursa Minor |
| Lyrids | Apr 14–Apr 30 | Apr 22, 3:40 PM | 18 | 36% waxing Moon | Wed, Apr 22, 3:45 AM–5:35 AM | Lyra–Hercules border, near Vega |
| Eta Aquariids | Apr 19–May 28 | May 6, 5:22 AM | 50 | 81% waning Moon | Tue, May 5, 4:50 AM–5:10 AM | Aquarius |
| Eta Lyrids | May 3–May 14 | May 10, 9:00 PM | 3 | 38% waning Moon | Sun, May 10, 3:36 AM–5:06 AM | Lyra |
| June Bootids | Jun 22–Jul 2 | Jun 21, 9:00 PM | Var. | 51% waxing Moon | Sun, Jun 21, 10:01 PM–12:11 AM | Bootes |
| July Pegasids | Jul 1–Jul 20 | Jul 10, 10:50 AM | 3 | 20% waning Moon | Thu, Jul 9, 2:47 AM–4:57 AM | Pegasus |
| July Gamma Draconids | Jul 25–Jul 31 | Jul 28, 9:31 AM | 5 | Full or nearly full Moon | Mon, Jul 27, 9:42 PM–2:02 AM | Draco |
| Southern Delta Aquariids | Jul 12–Aug 23 | Jul 31, 9:35 AM | 25 | Full or nearly full Moon | Thu, Jul 30, 12:28 AM–5:18 AM | Aquarius |
| Alpha Capricornids | Jul 3–Aug 15 | Jul 31, 9:35 AM | 5 | Full or nearly full Moon | Thu, Jul 30, 10:18 PM–4:18 AM | Capricornus |
| Eta Eridanids | Jul 31–Aug 19 | Aug 7, 5:05 PM | 3 | 30% waning Moon | Fri, Aug 7, 3:28 AM–5:28 AM | Cetus |
| Perseids | Jul 17–Aug 24 | Aug 12, 11:00 PM | 100 | New Moon: dark skies | Wed, Aug 12, 3:21 AM–5:31 AM | Perseus, on the Cassiopeia border |
| Kappa Cygnids | Aug 3–Aug 28 | Aug 17, 2:03 AM | 3 | 23% waxing Moon | Sun, Aug 16, 9:15 PM–1:45 AM | Draco |
| Aurigids | Aug 28–Sep 5 | Sep 1, 5:28 AM | 6 | 81% waning Moon | Mon, Aug 31, 4:20 AM–5:50 AM | Auriga |
| September Epsilon Perseids | Sep 5–Sep 21 | Sep 9, 2:00 PM | 8 | New Moon: dark skies | Tue, Sep 8, 3:57 AM–5:57 AM | Perseus |
| September Lyncids | Sep 10–Oct 8 | Sep 12, 11:23 PM | 3 | New Moon: dark skies | Sat, Sep 12, 4:10 AM–6:00 AM | Lynx |
| October Camelopardalids | Oct 5–Oct 6 | Oct 6, 12:40 AM | 5 | 22% waning Moon | Mon, Oct 5, 7:52 PM–6:22 AM | Draco |
| Draconids | Oct 6–Oct 10 | Oct 8, 9:00 PM | 5 | New Moon: dark skies | Thu, Oct 8, 7:47 PM–9:37 PM | Draco |
| Epsilon Geminids | Oct 14–Oct 27 | Oct 18, 2:00 PM | 3 | 51% waxing Moon | Sun, Oct 18, 4:23 AM–6:43 AM | Gemini |
| Orionids | Oct 2–Nov 7 | Oct 21, 2:28 PM | 20 | 79% waxing Moon | Wed, Oct 21, 3:39 AM–6:39 AM | Orion |
| Leonis Minorids | Oct 19–Oct 27 | Oct 24, 2:49 PM | 2 | Full or nearly full Moon | Sat, Oct 24, 5:16 AM–6:46 AM | Leo Minor |
| Southern Taurids | Sep 20–Nov 20 | Nov 5, 2:03 PM | 7 | 12% waning Moon | Thu, Nov 5, 10:33 PM–3:13 AM | Taurus |
| Northern Taurids | Oct 20–Dec 10 | Nov 12, 1:17 PM | 5 | 11% waxing Moon | Wed, Nov 11, 10:48 PM–2:58 AM | Taurus |
| Leonids | Nov 6–Nov 30 | Nov 17, 6:45 PM | 15 | 55% waxing Moon | Tue, Nov 17, 4:24 AM–6:14 AM | Leo |
| Alpha Monocerotids | Nov 15–Nov 25 | Nov 21, 7:12 PM | Var. | Full or nearly full Moon | Sat, Nov 21, 4:52 AM–6:12 AM | Canis Minor |
| November Orionids | Nov 13–Dec 6 | Nov 28, 9:48 AM | 3 | 78% waning Moon | Fri, Nov 27, 11:39 PM–4:19 AM | Orion |
| Phoenicids | Dec 1–Dec 5 | Dec 1, 8:44 PM | Var. | 41% waning Moon | Tue, Dec 1, 6:29 PM–9:49 PM | Sculptor |
| Puppid-Velids | Dec 1–Dec 15 | Dec 7, 6:49 AM | 10 | New Moon: dark skies | Low radiant | Vela |
| Monocerotids | Dec 1–Dec 19 | Dec 9, 6:04 AM | 3 | New Moon: dark skies | Tue, Dec 8, 11:19 PM–4:29 AM | Monoceros |
| Sigma Hydrids | Dec 3–Dec 20 | Dec 9, 6:04 AM | 7 | New Moon: dark skies | Tue, Dec 8, 12:49 AM–6:09 AM | Hydra |
| Geminids | Dec 4–Dec 20 | Dec 14, 9:00 AM | 150 | 25% waxing Moon | Sun, Dec 13, 12:40 AM–4:00 AM | Gemini |
| Ursids | Dec 17–Dec 26 | Dec 22, 5:00 PM | 10 | Full or nearly full Moon | Tue, Dec 22, 2:03 AM–6:33 AM | Ursa Minor |
| Comae Berenicids | Dec 4–Jan 30 | Dec 23, 12:21 AM | 3 | Full or nearly full Moon | Tue, Dec 22, 3:23 AM–6:33 AM | Leo Minor |
Showers whose radiant never rises from the US (far-southern showers) are left out. Peak rates in the table are the International Meteor Organization's.