Meteor Showers
Leonids
Next peak: November 17, 2026 · 15/hr
PeakNovember 17, 2026
ActiveNovember 6 – November 30
Rate (ZHR)15/hr
Speed71 km/s
RadiantLeo
Parent bodyComet Tempel–Tuttle
Moon at peak58% · First Quarter
The Moon will be First Quarter (58% lit) near the peak, which will wash out fainter meteors.
About the Leonids
Every ~33 years they produce true meteor storms with thousands per hour; in ordinary years, modest but very fast.
How to watch a meteor shower
Get away from city lights, let your eyes adapt for 20 minutes, and lie back so you can take in as much sky as possible. You don't need a telescope — meteors appear all over the sky. The best hours are usually after midnight, when your side of the Earth turns into the debris stream.
The single biggest factor after darkness is the Moon: a bright moon near the peak drowns out all but the brightest meteors. Check the moon phase for the peak night and, if it's bright, watch before moonrise or after moonset.