Meteor Showers
Orionids
Next peak: October 21, 2026 · 20/hr
PeakOctober 21, 2026
ActiveOctober 2 – November 7
Rate (ZHR)20/hr
Speed66 km/s
RadiantOrion
Parent bodyComet Halley
Moon at peak82% · Waxing Gibbous
The Moon will be Waxing Gibbous (82% lit) near the peak, which will wash out fainter meteors.
About the Orionids
The year's second gift from Comet Halley: fast meteors and frequent fireballs.
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.