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Click on highlighted text for a glossary definition.

Note: The best time to view a meteor shower is between midnight and 4:00 am.

For additional and more detailed information on meteor showers, try Sky and Telescope's Meteor Shower Page.

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Meteor Showers

Shower Name	Active Period	Peak Activity	ZHR
Alpha Aurigids	August 25–September 6	September 1	up to 9
Alpha Capricornids	July 15–September 11	August 1	6–14
Alpha Leonids	January 13–February 13	January 24–31
Alpha Lyrids	July 9–July 20	July 14	1-2
Alpha Monocerotids	November 13–December 2	November 21	1–5
Alpha Ursid Majorids	August 9–August 30	August 13–14	4
Alpha Virginids	March 10–May 6	April 7–18	5–10
Andromedids (Bielids)	September 25–December 5	Around November 14	up to 5
April–May Fireballs	April 15–May 7	April 30 (varies)	varies
Aurigids	January 31–February 23	February 5–10
Autumn Arietids	September 7–October 27	October 8	3–5
Beta Leonids	February 14–April 25	Around March 20	3–4
Chi Orionids	November 16–December 18	December 10	5
Coma Berenicids	December 12–January 23	December 19–29?
December Monocerotids	November 9–December 18	December 11	1–2
Delta Arietids	December 8–January 2	December 8–9	1
Delta Aurigids	September 7–October 27	October 6–15
Delta Cancrids	December 14–February 14	January 17	up to 4
Delta Leonids	Early February–March 19	February 22	3–5
Draconids (Giacobinids)	October 6–October 10	October 8	1–storm
Epsilon Geminids	October 10–October 27	October 19	1–2
Eta Aquarids	April 21–May 12	May 5	20+
Eta Cetids	September 20–November 2	First week of October
Eta Virginids	February 24–March 27	Around March 18	1–2
Gamma Aquarids	September 1–September 14	September 7	1–4
Gamma Virginids	April 4–April 21	April 14–15	up to 5
Geminids	December 6–December 19	December 13–14	50–100
June Bootids	June 27–July 5	June 28	1-2
June Lyrids	June 10–June 21	June 15	up to 8
June Scutids	June 2–July 29	June 27	about 2-4
Kappa Cygnids	July 26–September 1	August 18	up to 6
Leonids	November 14–November 21	November 17	10–15+
Lyrids	April 16–April 25	April 21/22	10–20
May Librids	May 1–May 9	May 6	2–6
Northern Delta Aquarids	July 16–September 10	August 13	up to 10
Northern Iota Aquarids	August 11–September 10	August 25	5–10
Northern May Ophiuchids	April 8–June 16	May 18–19	2–3
Ophiuchids	May 19–July 2	June 20	6
Orionids	September 10–November 7	October 20	25–30
Perseids	July 17–August 24	August 12/13	50–60 minimum
Pi Sagittariids	June 1–July 15	June 18	5
Pi Virginids	February 13–April 8	March 3–9	2–5
Quadrantids	December 28–January 7	January 3–4	50–200
Rho Geminids	December 28–January 28	January 8 (and 21?)
Southern Delta Aquarids	July14–August 18	July 29	15–20
Southern Iota Aquarids	July 1–September 18	August 6	7–8
Southern Piscids (Piscids)	August 12–October 7	September 11	up to 5
Tau Herculids	May 19–June 19	June 9	1 to 2
Taurids: Northern	October 12–December 2	November 4–7
Taurids: Southern	September 17–November 27	October 30–November 7	7
Theta Ophiuchids	May 21–June 16	June 10	10
Theta Virginids	March 10–April 21	Around March 20	1–3
Upsilon Pegasids		August 12	1–2
Ursids	December 17–December 25	December 22–23	10–20
Zeta Aurigids	December 11–January 21	December 31

Data courtesy of Dr. Mike D. Reynolds, Falling Stars: A Guide to Meteors and Meteorites (Stackpole Books).

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