Meteor showers

Meteor Showers

SunPoint turns meteor-shower information into practical viewing decisions: what is happening, when to look, where to go and how to understand the general direction without treating the radiant like a fixed target.

Next major event
Orionid Meteor Shower 2026
Peak
21 October 2026
Moon conditions
Check Moonrise, Moonset and altitude for your location
Viewing model
Wide sky, low artificial light, patient observing

A New Moon makes 2026 especially favourable

The 2026 Perseid peak coincides closely with New Moon, so there should be very little natural moonlight washing out faint meteors. That does not guarantee visible meteors: cloud, haze and artificial light still matter.

Get away from bright lights if you can

Fainter meteors become harder to see under direct lamps, bright phone screens and urban skyglow. SunPoint can help you think practically about open sky and viewing direction, but it does not yet certify dark-sky quality or assign Bortle classes.

Upcoming major meteor showers

The annual observing calendar includes the Quadrantids, Lyrids, Eta Aquariids, Perseids, Orionids, Leonids and Geminids, each with a different active period and peak.

Each event should explain its peak, radiant region, Moon interference and practical viewing conditions rather than acting like a simple date list.

How SunPoint helps

Meteor shower viewing is not about locking onto one exact horizon bearing. SunPoint helps by turning the radiant into a general direction, then pairing that with broad-sky viewing, open-location thinking and the current event context.

What makes good viewing conditions

The strongest conditions combine a clear sky, low artificial light, little Moon interference, a safe place to stay outside for a while and a broad open view of the sky.

A darker rural location will usually reveal fainter meteors than a brightly lit city centre, but SunPoint will not label a place as objectively dark unless a real light-pollution dataset is integrated.

How to watch

Give your eyes time to adapt, avoid repeatedly checking bright screens, dress for staying still and watch a wide area of sky. The radiant gives context; meteors can appear far away from it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the next major meteor shower?

The next supported event is the Orionid Meteor Shower 2026, peaking on 21 October 2026.

Where should I look during a meteor shower?

Look generally toward the radiant region, then relax your gaze across a broad area of sky. Meteors can appear away from the radiant.

Does moonlight matter?

Yes. Bright Moon conditions can wash out faint meteors. The 2026 Perseids are especially favourable because the peak coincides closely with New Moon.

Does SunPoint measure dark skies?

Not yet. SunPoint can explain practical open-sky and artificial-light considerations, but it should not claim certified dark-sky quality without a light-pollution dataset.

Related meteor-shower guides

SunPoint viewing note

Use the radiant as a reference and scan a broad area of sky. SunPoint does not publish dark-sky or Bortle claims without supporting light-pollution data.