Meteor Shower Calendar 2026: Don't Miss These Events
Meteor showers are the most accessible celestial events—no equipment needed, just dark skies and patience. This guide covers every major meteor shower in 2026 with peak dates, expected rates, and tips for the best viewing experience.
Expert Tested Gear & Affiliate Disclosure
This guide contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
01How to Watch Meteor Showers
Unlike other astronomy, meteor watching requires no equipment. In fact, telescopes and binoculars make it harder—you need the widest field of view possible.
Find Dark Skies — Use our Dark Sky Map to find a Bortle 4 or darker location. Even a single streetlight can cut your visible meteor count in half.
Give Your Eyes Time — It takes 20-30 minutes for your pupils to fully dilate. Avoid looking at your phone (use night mode if you must).
Be Patient — Meteors come in bursts. You might see 10 in a minute, then nothing for 5 minutes.
Look Away from the Radiant
02The 2026 Calendar
Here are the major showers worth your time this year:
Quadrantids (Jan 3-4) — Up to 120 meteors/hour at peak. Best viewed after midnight. Often overlooked because of winter cold.
Lyrids (April 22-23) — 20 meteors/hour. The oldest known shower, observed for 2,700 years.
Perseids (Aug 11-13) — The king of meteor showers. 100+ meteors/hour, warm summer nights, and always reliable.
Geminids (Dec 13-14) — 150 meteors/hour. Many consider this the best shower of the year. Bright, slow meteors.
Moon Phase Matters
A bright moon washes out faint meteors. Check the lunar calendar before planning your trip.
Hourly Rates
Published rates assume perfect dark skies. Expect 50-70% of stated rates from suburban locations.
Photography
Use a wide-angle lens, 20-30 second exposures, and pray. Most meteor photos are luck.
03Gear for Meteor Watching
You don't need much, but comfort is everything when you're lying on your back for hours:
Zero Gravity Recliner Chair
“The ultimate meteor-watching throne.”
Why we love it
Lie back without straining your neck. Folds flat for transport. I've used mine for 5+ years.
Level Up Your Astronomy Skills
Get our premium PDF guides with hundreds of pages of expert advice, gear recommendations, and step-by-step tutorials.
Browse All GuidesFind Your Darkest Sky
Use our real-time satellite maps to find locations with zero light pollution.
Launch Interactive Map