Perseid Meteor Shower Composite
Perseid Meteor Shower Composite. Image credit: Jim Vajda via Flickr

Meteor showers are one of the most beautiful events in the night sky. The awe-inspiring streaks of meteors across the sky can leave you amazed. Watching a meteor shower requires the right conditions, patience, and some planning. However, meteor showers are not rare!

According to the Meteor Data Center and IAU, there are around 110 well-established meteor showers. This meteor shower calendar will help you catch some of the most prominent meteor showers of the year and provide information about their radiant point, parent body, and peak date.

Most prominent Meteor Showers of the Year

Meteor ShowerBeginsPeak Date
QuadrantidsDecember 26, 2024January 2-3, 2025
LyridsApril 15, 2025April 21-22, 2025
Eta AquariidsApril 20, 2025May 3-4, 2025
Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids Mid-JulyJuly 29-30, 2025
PerseidsJuly 17, 2025August 12-13, 2025
AurigidsAugust 28, 2025September 1, 2025
DraconidsOctober 6, 2025October 8-9, 2025
OrionidsOctober 2, 2025October 22-23, 2025
Southern and Northern TauridsOctober 13, 2025Early November
LeonidsNovember 3, 2025November 16-17, 2025
GeminidsDecember 1, 2025December 12-13, 2025
UrsidsDecember 16, 2025December 21-22, 2025

What is a meteor shower?

A meteor shower is an astronomical event that occurs when several meteors or meteorites originating from a radiant point are visible in the night sky. It occurs when the earth passes through the debris trail left behind by comets or asteroids! As the planet passes through this debris, the debris enters the earth’s atmosphere, creating meteors and meteorites.

How to observe a meteor shower?

A meteor shower is one of the most exciting yet easiest-to-spot celestial events. You can observe a meteor shower without any telescope or binoculars, as most of the meteors are visible to the naked eye. Just go to a dark place away from the city lights and enjoy the celestial show! Don’t forget to carry water, a blanket, and a comfy chair, and wear warm clothes, as observing a meteor shower requires patience.

If you want to capture the meteor shower, you can also carry your astrophotography equipment, such as a DSLR camera with manual settings, a tripod, a remote shutter release, a red light, and stargazing software on your device! Read our astrophotography guide to learn more about the art of capturing the night sky!

Nihal Sayyad is a physics undergraduate and amateur astronomer with a strong passion for space science and science communication. He writes about space exploration, celestial events, and scientific breakthroughs, aiming to make complex topics accessible to all. When he’s not writing, Nihal enjoys painting and sketching.

Connect with him on LinkedIn.

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