Meteor photography
How to Photograph a Meteor Shower
Meteor-shower photography is about stacking the odds: a darker location, wide sky, stable tripod, manual focus and repeated exposures. One universal camera setting will not fit every sky.
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.
Choose a location
Pick a safe place with broad sky and as little direct light as practical. Do not assume a scenic landmark is useful unless the sky view is open.
Camera and tripod
A tripod, remote timer or delay mode, manual focus and repeated exposures are more important than chasing a single perfect setting.
Exposure strategy
Exposure depends on lens speed, camera sensor, sky brightness and foreground light. Avoid treating one ISO, aperture or shutter speed as universally correct.
Radiant versus broad sky
You can include the radiant region, but meteors away from the radiant can leave longer trails. Broad-sky framing is usually safer.
Phone photography
Use night mode or a manual camera app where available, keep the phone stable, avoid bright screen use between shots and accept that phone results vary widely.
Frequently asked questions
What lens is best for meteor showers?
A wide-angle lens is usually best because it covers more sky.
Should I point at the radiant?
Not always. Wider compositions away from the radiant can catch longer trails.
What settings should I use?
There is no universal setting. Start with a wide aperture, manual focus, tripod and repeated test exposures adjusted to your sky brightness.
Is the 2026 Perseid Moon good for photography?
Yes. New Moon should reduce natural sky brightness, though artificial light and cloud still matter.
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.