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Guide
Meteor Showers in the UK: When and How to Watch
The UK's main meteor showers are the Quadrantids (early January), Lyrids (April), Eta Aquariids (May), Perseids (August), Orionids (October), Leonids (November) and Geminids (December). The Perseids and Geminids are usually the best. To watch, find a dark spot, lie back, look about halfway up the sky and give it at least an hour, ideally after midnight with the moon out of the way. Below are the 2026–27 peaks with moon conditions.
Shower by shower
Quadrantids: peak 3–4 January 2027
Rates: up to around 80 per hour at the peak under ideal conditions, but the peak is short. Best after midnight, radiant in northern Boötes. It never sets from the UK. In 2027 the peak falls close to the new moon (7 January 2027), giving dark skies.
Lyrids: peak 22–23 April 2027
Rates: around 18 per hour. One of the oldest recorded showers, seen for some 2,700 years. In 2027 the peak falls close to the full moon (20 April 2027), so moonlight will drown out fainter meteors.
Eta Aquariids: peak 5–6 May 2027
Rates: low from the UK, as the radiant rises shortly before dawn. Debris from Halley's Comet. In 2027 the peak falls close to the new moon (6 May 2027), giving dark skies.
Perseids: peak 12–13 August 2027
Rates: up to around 100 per hour. The UK favourite, on warm summer nights. Debris from comet Swift–Tuttle. In 2027 the peak falls with the moon partly in the sky. Check moonrise times for your town.
Orionids: peak 21–22 October 2027
Rates: around 20 per hour. Also debris from Halley's Comet. In 2027 the peak falls with the moon partly in the sky. Check moonrise times for your town.
Leonids: peak 17–18 November 2026
Rates: around 10–15 per hour in normal years. Famous for storms in 1833, 1966 and 1999–2002. In 2026 the peak falls with the moon partly in the sky. Check moonrise times for your town.
Geminids: peak 13–14 December 2026
Rates: up to around 120–150 per hour. Often the year's best shower, with bright, slow meteors from asteroid 3200 Phaethon. In 2026 the peak falls close to the new moon (9 December 2026), giving dark skies.
How to watch
Location
Get away from streetlights. Our town guides list the nearest dark-sky places.
Timing
Rates rise after midnight as your side of the Earth turns to face the stream of debris.
Comfort
A reclining chair, blankets, a hot drink and patience.
No equipment needed
A wide view is everything. Binoculars and telescopes show too little sky for meteors.
What causes a meteor shower
As comets orbit the sun they shed dust. When Earth crosses that trail each year, the grains burn up in the upper atmosphere, about 100 km up, as meteors. They all seem to come from one point, the radiant, which gives each shower its name.
Photographing meteors
Use a camera on a tripod, a wide lens, ISO 1600–3200, exposures of 15–25 seconds and continuous shooting. Aim about 45° away from the radiant and be patient.
Meteors in folklore
Shooting stars have been read as omens, as souls, or as chances to make a wish. In medieval Europe the August Perseids were called the 'Tears of St Lawrence', after the saint's feast day on 10 August. UK delivery is £3.95, free on orders over £40, and usually takes 2–5 working days.
Best spots
Find somewhere away from streetlights, ideally in a dark-sky reserve or park. Our UK local guides list the nearest dark-sky areas to your town.
What to bring
A reclining chair, warm layers, a flask and a red torch. Give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust and avoid looking at your phone.
Why showers return every year
Each shower happens when Earth passes through a stream of dust left by a comet (or, for the Geminids, an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon). Earth crosses the same streams on the same dates each year, so the showers are predictable. The meteors are grains of dust, mostly smaller than sand, burning up about 100 km above the ground.
A checklist for a meteor night
- Check the forecast for clear skies and low wind.
- Check the moon: a bright moon washes out the fainter meteors.
- Pick a spot with a wide view of the sky away from lights.
- Bring a reclining chair or mat, blankets, a hat and a flask.
- Use a red torch to keep your night vision.
- Look about halfway up the sky, not straight at the radiant.
- Allow at least an hour: meteors come in bursts.
Watching from towns and cities
Light pollution hides the fainter meteors, but the brightest ones still show up from towns. Find the darkest part of a local park or field, keep street lights behind you or shielded by a building, and face the darkest part of the sky. Our UK local guides list the nearest certified dark-sky places for each area.
Photographing meteors on a phone
Use a tripod and the night mode or a long-exposure app, point at a wide patch of sky about 45° up, and take many 10–30 second exposures. Meteors are random, so the more frames you take, the better your chances.
Meteors in folklore
Many cultures saw shooting stars as souls, omens or wishes. The custom of wishing on a falling star is recorded in Europe from at least the 1600s. The Perseids were called the 'Tears of St Lawrence' because they peak near his feast day, 10 August.
Moonlight at each peak, 2026–2027
How much of the moon is lit on the peak night matters more than anything except cloud. Calculated with astronomy-engine.
| Shower | Peak night | Moon lit |
|---|---|---|
| Geminids | 13–14 December 2026 | 21% |
| Quadrantids | 3–4 January 2027 | 12% |
| Lyrids | 22–23 April 2027 | 95% |
| Eta Aquariids | 5–6 May 2027 | 0% |
| Perseids | 12–13 August 2027 | 84% |
| Orionids | 21–22 October 2027 | 57% |
| Leonids | 17–18 November 2027 | 81% |
| Geminids | 13–14 December 2027 | 100% |
Words worth knowing
- Radiant: the point in the sky meteors appear to come from.
- ZHR: zenithal hourly rate: the number of meteors an observer would see in perfect conditions.
- Fireball: a meteor brighter than Venus.
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Questions answered
What is the best meteor shower in the UK?
Usually the Geminids in December or the Perseids in August.
What time should I watch?
From late evening until dawn. Rates are usually highest after midnight.
Will the moon affect the meteor shower?
Yes. A bright moon hides fainter meteors. See the moon notes for each shower.
What causes meteor showers?
Earth passing through dust left by comets, or by an asteroid in the case of the Geminids.
Do I need a telescope to see meteors?
No. Telescopes and binoculars are too narrow; use your eyes and look at a wide area of sky.
What time is best for meteors?
Usually after midnight and before dawn, when your side of Earth faces into the stream.
How many meteors will I really see?
Usually far fewer than the published peak rate: from a dark rural site perhaps a third to a half, and from a town only the brightest few each hour.
Can I see meteors on a cloudy night?
No. Watch the forecast and look for clear spells; showers often last several nights either side of the peak.
Key facts (summary)
- The UK's main meteor showers are the Quadrantids (early January), Lyrids (April), Eta Aquariids (May), Perseids (August), Orionids (October), Leonids (November) and Geminids (December).
- Usually the Geminids in December or the Perseids in August.
- From late evening until dawn.
- Yes.
- Earth passing through dust left by comets, or by an asteroid in the case of the Geminids.
- No.
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