Know when is the next meteor shower in 2024:
July 2024: The Delta Aquariids
Predicted peak: The Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak on July 29, 2024 at 11:31 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From July 12 to August 19.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waning crescent phase and 24 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Delta Aquariids in 2024, as the waning crescent moon will rise in the pre-dawn hours.
When to watch: The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is best visible in the wee hours of July 29 and 30 in 2024.
Radiant: The Delta Aquariid meteor shower radiates from the zodiac constellation Aquarius, the Water Bearer. Constellation Aquarius rises in the late evening, reaches its highest point in the sky after midnight and then its altitude gradually decreases until it sets in the morning.
Where to look: Look low in the south in the wee hours.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 25 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: Like the Eta Aquariids, the Delta Aquariids also favor observers located in the southern hemisphere. Observers in the southern hemisphere can start watching Delta Aquariids at midnight and continue it till dawn.
The shower can be seen from the northern hemisphere also, but only after midnight (at around 2 a.m. local time) and at a lower rate compared to the southern hemisphere.
Main article: All you need to know about the Delta Aquariid meteor shower
July 2024: The Alpha Capricornids
Overall duration of shower: From July 7 to August 15.
When to watch: The Alpha Capricornid meteor shower is best visible around midnight of July 30 in 2024.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waning crescent phase and 26 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Alpha Capricornids in 2024, as the waning crescent moon will rise in the pre-dawn hours.
Radiant: The name of the shower is a bit of a misnomer. The Alpha Capricornid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Aquila. However, the shower derives its name from the proximity to the bright alpha Capricorni (Algedi). Algedi is one of the brightest stars in the constellation Capricornus, making the radiant easy to locate.
The radiant of the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower rises in the early evening, reaches its highest point in the sky around midnight and sets in the early morning.
Where to look: Look high in the south around midnight.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 5 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies. However, the shower has the reputation of producing some of the brightest meteors, which creates interest for observers.
Best place to watch: The Alpha Capricornids are almost a perfect example of a global shower. The shower is seen from both hemispheres in equal measure.
August 2024: The Perseids
Predicted peak: The Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 12, 2024 at 13:42 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From July 18 to August 25.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the first quarter phase and 7 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Perseids in 2024, as the first quarter moon will set around midnight.
When to watch: The Perseid meteor shower is best visible in the pre-dawn hours of August 12 and 13 in 2024.
Radiant: The Perseid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Perseus, the Hero. Constellation Perseus rises before midnight and reaches its highest point in the sky at dawn.
Where to look: Look high in the northeast in the pre-dawn hours.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 100 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Perseid meteor shower is only observable from the northern hemisphere, and it’s very challenging to watch the shower from the southern hemisphere, where the radiant never rises much above the horizon.
Note: The Perseids are often considered one of the most prolific showers of the year, along with the Quadrantids and Geminids.
October 2024: The Draconids
Overall duration of shower: From October 6 to October 10.
When to watch: The Draconid meteor shower is best visible in the evening of October 8 in 2024.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waxing crescent phase and 7 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Draconids in 2024, as the waxing crescent moon will set in the evening.
Radiant: The Draconid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Draco, the Dragon. Constellation Draco reaches its highest point in the sky in the early evening (when darkness falls), and then its altitude (height) gradually decreases as the night progresses.
Where to look: Look high in the northwest in the evening.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: It is a variable shower that usually produces about 10 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies, but occasionally its rate increases significantly.
Best place to watch: The Draconid meteor shower is only observable from the northern hemisphere and favors observers located in the mid- and high-northern latitudes. The shower can’t effectively be observed from the southern hemisphere.
October 2024: The Orionids
Predicted peak: The Orionid meteor shower will peak on October 22, 2024 at 06:19 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From October 3 to November 7.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waning gibbous phase and 20 days old during the peak. The moonlight may interfere with the Orionids in 2024, as the bright waning gibbous moon will be seen almost all night in the sky.
When to watch: The Orionid meteor shower is best visible in the pre-dawn hours of October 22 and 23 in 2024.
Radiant: The Orionid meteor shower radiates from the famous constellation Orion, the Hunter. Constellation Orion rises around midnight and reaches its highest point in the sky at dawn.
Where to look: Look high in the southeast in the pre-dawn hours.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 20 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Orionids favor observers located in the northern hemisphere, where the radiant reaches almost overhead at dawn. The shower can be seen from the southern hemisphere as well, but at a lower rate.
November 2024: The Southern Taurids
Predicted peak: The Southern Taurid meteor shower will peak on November 5, 2024 at 06:38 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From September 10 to November 20.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waxing crescent phase and 4 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Southern Taurids in 2024, as the waxing crescent moon will set in the evening.
When to watch: The Southern Taurid meteor shower is best visible around midnight of November 4 and 5 in 2024.
Radiant: The Southern Taurid meteor shower radiates from the zodiac constellation Taurus, the Bull. Constellation Taurus rises in the early evening, reaches its highest point in the sky around midnight, and sets in the early morning.
Where to look: Look high in the south around midnight.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 5 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Southern Taurids are almost a perfect example of a global shower. The shower is seen from both hemispheres in equal measure.
Note: The Southern Taurid meteor shower have a fairly broad peak that overlaps with the Northern Taurid meteor shower, which peaks a week later (on November 12). So you can expect a fairly steady rate of meteors (up to 10 meteors per hour) for about 10 days in early to mid-November.
November 2024: The Northern Taurids
Predicted peak: The Northern Taurid meteor shower will peak on November 12, 2024 at 05:55 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From October 20 to December 10.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waxing gibbous phase and 11 days old during the peak. The moonlight may interfere with the Northern Taurids in 2024, as the bright waxing gibbous moon will set after midnight.
When to watch: The Northern Taurid meteor shower is best visible around midnight of November 11 and 12 in 2024.
Radiant: Like the Southern Taurids, the Northern Taurids also radiate from the zodiac constellation Taurus, the Bull. Constellation Taurus rises in the early evening, reaches its highest point in the sky around midnight, and then its altitude (height) gradually falls until it sets in the early morning.
Where to look: Look high in the south around midnight.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 5 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: Like the Southern Taurids, the Northern Taurids are also a perfect example of a global shower. The shower can be seen from every country in the world unless you’re sunbathing in Antarctica at midnight.
November 2024: The Leonids
Predicted peak: The Leonid meteor shower will peak on November 18, 2024 at 04:55 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From November 6 to November 30.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waning gibbous phase and 18 days old during the peak. The moonlight may interfere with the Leonids in 2024, as the bright waning gibbous moon will be seen almost all night in the sky.
When to watch: The Leonid meteor shower is best visible in the pre-dawn hours of November 18 in 2024.
Radiant: The Leonid meteor shower radiates from the zodiac constellation Leo, the Lion. Constellation Leo rises around midnight and reaches its highest point in the sky at dawn.
Where to look: Look high in the east in the pre-dawn hours.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 15 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Leonids favor observers located in the northern hemisphere, where the radiant reaches almost overhead at dawn. The shower can be seen from the southern hemisphere as well, but just before dawn and at a lower rate.
December 2024: The Geminids
Predicted peak: The Geminid meteor shower will peak on December 14, 2024 at 01:26 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From December 4 to December 17.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waxing gibbous phase and 14 days old during the peak. The moonlight may interfere with the Geminids in 2024, as the bright waxing gibbous moon will be seen almost all night in the sky.
When to watch: The Geminid meteor shower is best visible from late evening to post-midnight of December 13 and 14 in 2024.
Radiant: The Geminid meteor shower radiates from the zodiac constellation Gemini, the Twins. Constellation Gemini rises in the evening, reaches its highest point in the sky around midnight and sets at dawn.
Where to look: Look high in the east around late evening or directly overhead in the sky around post-midnight.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 150 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Northern Hemisphere is the best place to watch the Geminid meteor shower. Observers in the Northern Hemisphere can start watching Geminids as early as 9 or 10 p.m. local time. The hourly number of meteors increases as the night progresses. So don’t be in a hurry to pack up and go to bed.
Geminids can be seen from the Southern Hemisphere also, but only around midnight and at a much lower rate compared to the Northern Hemisphere.
Note: The Geminids are often considered one of the most prolific showers of the year, along with the Quadrantids and Perseids.
December 2024: The Ursids
Predicted peak: The Ursid meteor shower will peak on December 22, 2024 at 16:59 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From December 17 to December 26.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the third quarter phase and 22 days old during the peak. The moonlight may interfere with the Ursids in 2024 as the moon will rise around midnight.
When to watch: The Ursid meteor shower is best visible in the pre-dawn hours of December 22 and 23 in 2024.
Radiant: The Ursid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. Ursa Minor is a circumpolar constellation which never rises nor sets and lies always above the horizon for most of the northern latitudes.
Where to look: Look high in the north in the pre-dawn hours. The bright Polaris (the North Star or Pole Star) will help you locate the radiant of the Ursid meteor shower.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 10 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Ursid meteor shower is only observable from the northern hemisphere. The shower can’t be seen from the southern hemisphere, where the radiant never rises above the horizon.
January 2025: The Quadrantids
Predicted peak: The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak on January 3, 2025 at 16:15 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From December 28 to January 12.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waxing crescent phase and 4 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Quadrantids in 2025, as the waxing crescent moon will set in the evening.
When to watch: The Quadrantid meteor shower is best visible in the pre-dawn hours on January 3, 2025.
Radiant: The Quadrantid meteor shower got its name from the constellation Quadrans Muralis. However, Quadrans Muralis is now an obsolete constellation, and the modern constellations Bootes and Draco have taken its place. Now the radiant of the Quadrantid meteor shower is located in the constellation Bootes, which rises around midnight and reaches its highest point in the sky at dawn.
Where to look: Look high in the northeast in the pre-dawn hours.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 120 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Quadrantid meteor shower is only observable from the northern hemisphere, and it’s very difficult to watch the shower from the southern hemisphere, where the radiant never rises much above the horizon.
Note: The Quadrantids are often considered one of the most prolific showers of the year, along with the Perseids and Geminids. The shower has a very sharp peak that lasts only a few hours at best, so some observers will miss the peak activity completely while others on another continent may witness an excellent display.
Main article: All you need to know about the Quadrantid meteor shower
April 2025: The Lyrids
Predicted peak: The Lyrid meteor shower will peak on April 22, 2025 at 13:32 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From April 14 to April 30.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waning crescent phase and 24 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Lyrids in 2025, as the waning crescent moon will rise in the pre-dawn hours.
When to watch: The Lyrid meteor shower is best visible in the pre-dawn hours on April 22, 2025.
Radiant: The name of the shower is a bit of a misnomer. The Lyrid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Hercules. However, the shower derives its name from the proximity to bright alpha Lyrae (Vega). Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra and fifth brightest star in the night sky, making the radiant easy to locate.
The radiant of the Lyrid meteor shower rises in the late evening and reaches its highest point in the sky at dawn.
Where to look: Look high in the east after midnight or directly overhead in the sky in the pre-dawn hours.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 18 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Lyrid meteor shower is best seen from the northern hemisphere, where the radiant reaches almost overhead at dawn. The shower can be seen from the southern hemisphere as well, but at a lower rate.
Main article: All you need to know about the Lyrid meteor shower
May 2025: The Eta Aquariids
Predicted peak: The Eta Aquariid meteor shower will peak on May 6, 2025 at 20:19 UTC.
Overall duration of shower: From April 19 to May 28.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waxing gibbous phase and 8 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the Eta Aquariids in 2025, as the waxing gibbous moon will set just after midnight.
When to watch: The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is best visible in the pre-dawn hours of May 6 and 7 in 2025.
Radiant: The Eta Aquariid meteor shower radiates from the zodiac constellation Aquarius, the Water Bearer. Constellation Aquarius rises in the wee hours and reaches its highest point in the sky at dawn.
Where to look: Look low in the east in the pre-dawn hours.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: The shower produces about 83 meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies.
Best place to watch: The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is best visible from the southern hemisphere. Observers in the southern hemisphere can start watching Eta Aquariids in the pre-dawn hours and continue it till dawn breaks.
The shower can be seen from the northern hemisphere also, but just before dawn and at a much lower rate compared to the southern hemisphere.
Main article: All you need to know about the Eta Aquariid meteor shower
June 2025: The June Bootids
Predicted peak: The June Bootid meteor shower will peak on June 27, 2025.
Overall duration of shower: From June 22 to July 2.
Moon phase: The moon will be in the waxing crescent phase and 2 days old during the peak. The moonlight will not interfere with the June Bootids in 2025, as the waxing crescent moon will set in the early evening.
When to watch: The June Bootid meteor shower is best visible in the evening of June 27 in 2025. Wait until the sky becomes completely dark.
Radiant: The June Bootid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Bootes, the Herdsman. Constellation Bootes rises in the afternoon, reaches its highest point in the sky in the evening and sets before dawn.
Where to look: Look high in the southwest in the evening.
Expected number of meteors during the peak: It is a variable shower that usually produces only a few meteors per hour during peak activity under clear, dark skies. However, the shower has the ability to suddenly surprise you.
Best place to watch: The June Bootids favor observers located in the northern hemisphere, where the radiant reaches almost overhead in the evening. However, the chances of spotting any meteors from the southern hemisphere are significantly less.
References
Atlas of Meteor Showers – A Practical Workbook for Meteor Observers
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