
Many of the showers this year suffer from moonlight, with the Perseids, in particular, adversely affected by a waning gibbous Moon, just three days past full. However, the showers later in the year - the Orionids, Leonids, and Geminids - all fare much better, with the Geminids promising to put on the best show.
What is a Meteor Shower?
Despite what you might think, space is not empty! It’s filled with particles of gas and dust, and as the Earth orbits the Sun, it impacts these particles. A shooting star is really nothing more than a tiny fragment of rock that enters the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed (about 30 miles per second, on average) and burns up.
In fact, it might surprise you to learn that meteors are typically no larger than an apple seed!
A meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through a cloud of dust as it moves along its orbit. These clouds of dust almost always originate from comets that regularly orbit the Sun. As the comet moves through space, it leaves a trail of dust in its wake, and where the trail intersects the orbit of the Earth, there’s a higher concentration of dust and a greater number of meteors.
This is why meteor showers always occur at roughly the same time every year, with the cloud being renewed with each orbit the comet completes. One shower in particular, the Leonids, puts on a fine show every 33 years when its parent comet makes another pass by the Sun. (The last of these was in 1998, with the next expected around 2031.)
What You Need to Know About Meteors - Tips and Terms for Beginners
- While there are some meteor showers that can be enjoyed throughout the night, most are best seen in the hours before dawn. That’s because the morning side of the Earth is the one that’s moving directly into the cloud of dust from which the meteors appear.
- Although you can see shooting stars from almost anywhere, you want to try and find a safe, dark location, far from the lights of a town or city. Many meteors may be bright, but there are just as many that are too faint to be seen from the light-polluted skies of suburbia.
- Regardless of where you are, give your eyes time to adapt to the dark. This can take up to about thirty minutes if you’re stepping out from a brightly lit interior, but when your eyes are properly adapted, you’ll see more of the fainter meteors.
- Once your eyes are properly dark-adapted, you’ll want to keep them that way. Looking at any bright light can instantly ruin your night vision, so make sure to get yourself a red flashlight. Red light doesn’t affect your eyes the way white light does, and as long as the flashlight isn’t too bright, you should be able to avoid dazzling yourself.
- One of the best things about meteors is that you don’t need any equipment to observe them. In fact, almost any kind of equipment is a hindrance more than a help. Remember that meteors can appear almost anywhere, but if you use binoculars or a telescope, you’re limiting your view to just a small area of the sky. You’ll see more of the sky with just your eyes, so even if you’re looking in the wrong direction, you might still catch one or two with your peripheral vision.
- Beware the Moon! It might look pretty, but when the Moon is between first and last quarter (anywhere from a half Moon in the evening sky through full Moon to a half Moon in the morning sky), it can considerably brighten the sky. This has the effect of drowning out the fainter meteors. A crescent Moon isn’t typically a problem because it’s not so bright and is often only visible either before or after the darkest part of the night.
- A shower’s radiant is the area of the sky from which the meteors appear. A shower is typically named after the constellation from which the meteors seem to originate (eg, the Leonids have their radiant in Leo), but occasionally a shower is named for the nearest bright star instead (eg, the Alpha Centaurids).
- The zenith hourly rate (ZHR) is the number of meteors you could expect to see under ideal conditions. More specifically, this is the number you might see if the radiant were overhead and the skies were completely dark. In most cases, the radiant isn’t at its highest until the daylight hours and is rarely overhead. Consequently, the actual number of meteors you can expect to see will greatly depend upon the altitude of the radiant in the sky, the darkness of your location, the weather, and the phase of the Moon at the time.
The Top Three Meteor Showers For 2025
This year’s top three showers all occur later in the year, with the Geminids once again taking the top spot.
- Geminids (December 14th) - With a waning crescent Moon, a zenith hourly rate of over 100, and a peak in the early hours of the morning, the Geminids simply can’t be beaten.
- Orionids (October 21st) - It’s unusual for a shower to reach its maximum on the day of the new Moon, but that’s the situation with the Orionids in 2025. And with a zenith hourly rate of 20, you’re sure to see a shooting star or two.
- Leonids (November 17th) - The Leonids will typically produce around 15 to 20 bright (albeit fast) shooting stars, and this year the waning crescent Moon shouldn’t prove to be a hindrance.
January
The year kicks off with the Quadrantids, a shower that differs from most others in that its peak lasts only about four hours. Last year we were lucky, the peak occurred during the early morning hours for North American observers, but the circumstances in 2025 are a little different.
This year, the peak occurs during the daylight hours, but west coast observers may have a slight advantage, as the timing is closer to dawn compared to the east coast.
Another difference between the Quadrantids and other showers is the brightness of the meteors themselves. Whereas the best showers readily produce a number of bright shooting stars, many of the Quadrantids are relatively faint, with a magnitude range of between 3 and 6. It’s therefore especially important that you find dark skies, free from light pollution.
Fortunately, there is some good news. Firstly, the Moon is a waxing crescent and won’t brighten the sky enough to cause a problem. Secondly, the shower is known to produce fireballs throughout the activity period, so even if the meteors themselves are in short supply, there’s a chance of catching a fireball between late December and mid-January.
Quadrantids
- Active: Dec 28th - Jan 12th
- Maximum: Jan 3rd 12:00 ET / Jan 3rd 09:00 PT
- Moon: Waxing Crescent
- ZHR: 80
- Parent Object: 2003 EH (Asteroid)
- Radiant: 15:21h +49.5°
- Brightness: Faint
- Speed: Medium
February
Late winter is always a quiet time for meteors, with only two minor showers peaking before April’s Lyrids. Both have a low zenith hourly rate of around 6, and both have their radiant in southern hemisphere constellations, but both can produce bright shooting stars.
Of the two, conditions for the first of these, the Alpha Centaurids, are a little better and you can try your luck at around two hours before dawn. By this time, the waxing gibbous Moon will have set, and the radiant will be at its highest point (although, depending on your location, it may still be below the horizon). Keep your attention towards the southeast and southwest.
Alpha Centaurids
- Active: Jan 31st - Feb 20th
- Maximum: Feb 8th
- Moon: Waxing Gibbous
- ZHR: 6
- Parent Object: Unknown
- Radiant: 14:04h -58.2°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Medium
March
Like February’s Alpha Centaurids, the Gamma Normids are a minor shower. In fact, it’s no longer included in the International Meteor Organization’s list of Working Meteor Showers, but if you’re looking for shooting stars in March, this is your only option.
Again, like February’s Alpha Centaurids, your best bet is to step outside a few hours before dawn, when the radiant is at its highest point towards the south. This year, the Moon is a day past full and still 99% illuminated, and could potentially cause problems. You’ll find it towards the southwest, where you might otherwise see some shooting stars, so keep your attention turned towards the southeast instead.
Gamma Normids
- Active: Feb 25th - Mar 28th
- Maximum: Mar 15th
- Moon: Full Moon
- ZHR: 6
- Parent Object: Unknown
- Radiant: 16:24h -51.0°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Medium
April
For many, the Lyrids are the first easily observed shower of the year, and there’s the potential for a good show in 2025. For starters, the Moon will be a waning crescent (albeit still 36% illuminated), so its light won’t drown out too many of the fainter shooting stars. Additionally, while the expected peak is predicted for the early morning hours, it occurs sufficiently close to dawn to make observations worthwhile.
This being the case, your best chance will most likely come in the hours after midnight, before the Moon has a chance to rise and the sky begins to brighten. More specifically, sometime around three hours before sunrise may be best, as the constellation Lyra will be high in the northeast, and the Moon will be below the horizon. Keep your eyes turned towards the north and east.
Lyrids
- Active: Apr 14th - Apr 30th
- Maximum: Apr 22nd 09:30 ET / Apr 22nd 06:30 PT
- Moon: Waning Crescent
- ZHR: 18
- Parent Object: C/1861 G1 (Comet Thatcher)
- Radiant: 18:09h +33.4°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Medium
May
Like many of the other showers this year, the Eta Aquariids are not at their best in 2025. The peak occurs at 11 pm ET on the 5th, which seems like good timing, but the light of the first quarter Moon may be problematic. The other issue is that the radiant doesn’t rise until around 3 am, but by that time, the shower may be past its best.
Observers, therefore, have two options: You can either step outside on the evening of the 5th and take your chances with the Moon (fortunately, the Eta Aquariids are bright, albeit fast), or you can wait until after midnight when the Moon will be below the horizon, but the shower may have reached its peak. Either way, look towards the east and south to increase your chances.
Eta Aquariids
- Active: Apr 19th - May 28th
- Maximum: May 5th 23:00 ET / May 5th 20:00 PT
- Moon: First Quarter
- ZHR: 50
- Parent Object: 1P/Halley (Comet)
- Radiant: 22:32h -00.8°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Fast
June
Although many showers will produce shooting stars at a reliable rate, there are a few that are a little less predictable. One of these is the June Boötids. On most occasions, you’ll only see a few meteors an hour, but there have been years where the number has been a lot higher. For example, according to the International Meteor Organization, the shower reached a peak of more than 40 meteors an hour in 2004.
This year’s shower peaks at around dawn for many in North America, which means rising early once again for the best chance of seeing anything. Fortunately, since the Moon is a waxing crescent, there’s no danger of it brightening the sky, as it will set long before the shower reaches its peak. By this time, the radiant will be setting in the northwest, so keep your eyes looking towards the west and north.
June Bootids
- Active: Jun 2nd - Jul 2nd
- Maximum: Jun 27th 07:00 ET / Jun 27th 04:00 PT
- Moon: Waxing Crescent
- ZHR: Variable
- Parent Object: 7P/Pons-Winnecke (Comet)
- Radiant: 14:58h +48.0°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Slow
July
The Southern Delta Aquariids are tricky, as the shooting stars can be faint, making them difficult to spot against the predawn summer sky. On the plus side, the radiant is due south around three hours before dawn, and with the Moon at first quarter, it will be below the horizon long before that time.
Your best chances are around 11pm on the 30th, with the radiant rising higher as dawn approaches. The radiant itself will be towards the southeast for much of this time, so look towards the south and east (or even the north-northeast and south-southwest) for the meteors to appear. It’s also worth noting that the shower has been known to produce fireballs, even before the maximum date.
Southern Delta Aquariids
- Active: Jul 12th - Aug 23rd
- Maximum: Jul 31st
- Moon: First Quarter
- ZHR: 25
- Parent Object: 96P/Machholz (Comet)
- Radiant: 22:42h -16.4°
- Brightness: Faint
- Speed: Medium
August
Last year, the Perseids reached their maximum when the Moon was at first quarter, allowing observers to enjoy the shower without too much interference. This year we’re not so lucky, as the Moon will be a waning gibbous in Pisces, close to Saturn and faint Neptune.
However, with the maximum predicted to occur around or shortly after dawn, you may stand a decent chance of catching a few meteors in the hours before sunrise. The Moon will still be high towards the south or southwest, but looking towards the east and northeast might also yield some results.
Perseids
- Active: Jul 17th - Aug 24th
- Maximum: Aug 12th 09:15 ET / Aug 12th 06:15 PT
- Moon: Waning Gibbous
- ZHR: 100
- Parent Object: 109P/Swift-Tuttle (Comet)
- Radiant: 03:13h +58.1°
- Brightness: Medium
- Speed: Medium
September
Arguably, the only reason you’d want to try for the September Epsilon Perseids is if you’re aiming to observe a meteor shower in every month of the year. It’s not a particularly noteworthy shower at the best of times, and this year, with a waning gibbous Moon dominating the sky, the circumstances couldn’t be much worse.
If you want to try your luck, it might be best to step outside between 10 pm and midnight on the 8th. The shower’s radiant will be rising in the northeast at that time, and while the Moon will also be rising in the east, it may still be low enough for its effects to be minimized. Alternatively, you could try your luck in the evening of the 9th; the shower will have already reached its maximum, but the Moon will be lower.
September Epsilon Perseids
- Active: Sep 5th - Sep 21st
- Maximum: Sep 9th
- Moon: Waning Gibbous
- ZHR: 5
- Parent Object: Unknown
- Radiant: 03:15h +39.7°
- Brightness: Medium
- Speed: Fast
October
Despite many of this year’s showers being washed out by moonlight, the last three noteworthy showers are reasonably active and are all unaffected by the Moon. October’s Orionids are bright and fast and reach their maximum on the day of the new Moon, so your chances of seeing a few shooting stars are pretty good.
There’s no specific time for the predicted maximum, so you have several choices. You could, for example, step outside on the evening of the 20th or 21st. The radiant rises in the east at around 11:30 pm and is located between Betelgeuse in Orion and the stars that mark the feet of Gemini.
However, the best time will be in the early hours of the 21st, between approximately 1:30 am and a few hours before dawn, when the radiant will be high over the eastern or southeastern horizon. Look towards the north or southwest; the shower typically produces around 20 meteors an hour under ideal conditions but has been known to have outbursts.
Orionids
- Active: Oct 2nd - Nov 7th
- Maximum: Oct 21st
- Moon: New Moon
- ZHR: 20
- Parent Object: 1P/Halley (Comet)
- Radiant: 06:24h +15.7°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Fast
November
November’s Leonids rose to fame following the meteor storm of 1999, an event that occurs approximately every 33 years or so. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case this year, but with the Moon a waning crescent and a zenith hourly rate of 10-15, there’s still a good chance of seeing a shooting star or two.
The radiant is located in the sickle of Leo and rises at around midnight, giving you the opportunity to start observing late in the evening of the 16th. Since the shower is predicted to peak late in the morning, or around midday, on the 17th, the best time for North American observers will be a few hours before dawn. With the radiant high in the east, look towards the north and south for the meteors.
Leonids
- Active: Nov 6th - Nov 30th
- Maximum: Nov 17th 13:00 ET / N ov 17th 10:00 PT
- Moon: Waning Crescent
- ZHR: 10 - 15
- Parent Object: 55P/Tempel-Tuttle (Comet)
- Radiant: 10:15h +21.8°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Fast
December
The Geminids easily win the prize for the best shower of 2025 for a host of reasons. For starters, the shower has a zenith hourly rate of 150—higher than any other.
Additionally, its radiant, located very close to Castor in Gemini, rises early in the evening, passes almost overhead from North America, and is still above the horizon at dawn. Finally, the shower produces bright shooting stars that move at a medium pace, giving you ample opportunity to spot them before they burn up and disappear.
However, this year presents us with a couple of bonuses. The Moon is a waning crescent, close to Spica in Virgo, and won’t be bright enough to drown out the fainter shooting stars. Perhaps best of all, the shower is predicted to peak at around 3 am on the 14th for observers on the east coast and midnight for those on the west.
This means you can start observing a few hours after sunset on the 13th and then potentially see the number of shooting stars increase as the radiant rises higher and the shower reaches its peak. Be sure to dress up warm!
Geminids
- Active: Dec 4th - Dec 20th
- Maximum: Dec 14th 03:00 ET / Dec 14th 00:00 PT
- Moon: Waning Crescent
- ZHR: 150
- Parent Object: 3200 Phaethon (Asteroid)
- Radiant: 07:33h +32.4°
- Brightness: Bright
- Speed: Medium

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