☄︎ Astronomy · Calendar
Meteor Shower Calendar
When are the next shooting stars? See which meteor shower is active right now, when the next peak falls, and the full year of showers with their rates and origins.
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Good to know — peak dates and rates are typical yearly values; actual numbers depend on moonlight, weather and how dark your sky is. A bright moon washes out fainter meteors, so dark, moonless nights are best.
How the meteor shower calendar works
This meteor shower calendar tracks the major annual showers and works out, for today's date, which ones are currently active and which peak comes next. Each shower happens when Earth ploughs through the dusty trail left behind by a comet — or, for the Geminids, an asteroid — so the same showers return on roughly the same dates every year.
For each shower you'll see its active window, its peak night, its ZHR (the meteors-per-hour rate under an ideal dark sky) and the comet it comes from. The headline showers to circle are the Perseids in mid-August and the Geminids in mid-December, both rich and reliable.
How to watch a meteor shower
You don't need any equipment — the naked eye is ideal. Find the darkest spot you can, away from street lights, and let your eyes adjust to the dark for 20–30 minutes. Don't stare straight at the radiant; look a little to the side, where meteors appear longer. The hours after midnight usually bring the most, and a new-moon sky beats a bright moonlit one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a meteor shower?
When Earth crosses the dust trail left by a comet, many tiny particles burn up in the atmosphere as shooting stars — like the Perseids in August or the Geminids in December. Each shower returns at the same time every year.
When can I see the most shooting stars?
Around a shower's peak, usually in the hours after midnight and under a dark sky with no moonlight. The calendar marks each shower's peak night and its rate (ZHR, meteors per hour under ideal conditions).
Do I need a telescope?
No — meteors are best watched with the naked eye and a wide, open view of the sky. Let your eyes adjust to the dark for 20–30 minutes and look a little away from the radiant rather than straight at it.
What is ZHR?
ZHR (zenithal hourly rate) is the number of meteors a single observer could see per hour under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead. Real-world counts are usually lower, but a higher ZHR means a richer shower.