The Ultimate Guide to Observing the Meteor Showers

December 9, 2020

“Falling stars,” or “shooting stars,” have fascinated stargazers for centuries. Despite these nicknames, they are not stars, but fleeting streaks of light that suddenly appear in the night sky. These streaks are caused by tiny fragments of interplanetary dust and rock called meteoroids. As these meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere at tens of thousands of miles per hour, friction causes them to burn up, creating the bright trails we call meteors.


Most meteors are faint and vanish in less than a second. However, some, known as fireballs, can shine as brightly as magnitude -4 and linger for several seconds. The best time to spot meteors is a moonless night, far from city lights.


Several times a year, Earth travels through dense regions of meteoroids, resulting in meteor showers. These events are annual, predictable, and appear to radiate from a specific region of the sky. Each meteor shower is named after the constellation from which its meteors seem to originate, such as the Geminids from Gemini, the Perseids from Perseus, and so on. Locating that constellation can be a helpful starting point for observation.


Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris trails left behind by comets or, occasionally, asteroids. Some years, these showers produce hundreds of meteors per hour, while others may offer a more modest display. On rare occasions, they culminate in meteor storms, unleashing thousands of meteors in a short burst. For instance, the Leonids meteor storm in 1966 bedazzled observers with thousands of shooting stars per minute over a breathtaking 15-minute span, like rain falling from space. So yes, when it rains, it truly can pour.

 

Meteor Colors

A meteor’s color reveals its chemical composition. As a meteor makes its fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere at high speed—often tens of kilometers per second—the intense heat causes the meteor and the air to glow. When atoms cool down, they give off light in different colors, which vary based on what they're made of. Keep an eye out for these colors during the next meteor shower:

  • Orange–Yellow: Commonly linked to sodium, which burns with a bright, warm glow
  • Yellow–White: Typically signals a strong presence of iron
  • Blue–Green: A signature of magnesium, often seen in fast, vivid meteors
  • Violet–Purple: Hints of calcium, giving the meteor a rare, dynamic hue
  • Red: Results from ionized atmospheric gases—mainly nitrogen and oxygen

 

Major Meteor Showers

Although there are over 20 established meteor showers that occur each year, here is a list of the most popular named meteor showers for 2025:

Quadrantids Meteor Shower
Visible in early January, the Quadrantids usually displays 40 to 100 meteors per hour. The 2025 shower occurred in a waxing crescent Moon phase, setting early for dark skies. The Quadrantids are named after a constellation no longer recognized—Quadrans Muralis. The Quadrantids are associated with the near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1.
Lyrids Meteor Shower
The Lyrids appear in the Spring. This medium-strength meteor shower produces 10 to 20 bright and fast meteors per hour, with occasional fireballs. The Moon was a waning crescent on 2025’s peak night with minimal interference, allowing dedicated observers to spot fainter meteors—the radiant lies between Hercules and Lyra's constellations. The Lyrids are connected to their parent comet, C/1861 G1 (Thatcher).
Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower
The Eta Aquariids are a strong meteor shower best seen from the Southern Hemisphere. It is active in April and May, with an average rate of 10 to 30 meteors per hour, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. Southern Hemisphere observers can see approximately 50 to 60 meteors per hour. This shower is known for vapor trails, but not many fireballs. The radiant is in the Y-shaped asterism in Aquarius, and the shower's namesake is one of its stars. Its parent comet is 1P/Halley, Halley's Comet. Unfortunately, a waxing gibbous Moon washed out the Eta Aquarids in 2025.

Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower
The Delta Aquariids meteor shower is an average shower that usually peaks in late July, with 15 to 20 meteors per hour. In 2025, the Moon was in a waxing crescent phase, making this year ideal for viewing the shower. Astronomers think the parent comet is 96P/Machholz.
Perseids Meteor Shower
The Perseid meteor shower is probably the best-known of all meteor showers. The Perseids never fail to put on an excellent show (50-75 meteors per hour), widely observed because it takes place in midsummer. The Moon was a waning gibbous in 2025, washing out all but the brightest meteors. The Perseids were the first meteor shower linked to a comet (109P/Swift-Tuttle). The radiant point is in the constellation Perseus. When you observe the Perseids, look out for a high proportion of vapor trails.

Draconids Meteor Shower
The Draconids, also known as the Giacobinids, are active in early October. It is an unusual meteor shower because the best viewing opportunity is in the early evening rather than after midnight, like most other meteor showers. Although the Draconids is a minor meteor shower, producing roughly ten meteors per hour, it can create an intense meteor storm, as it did in 1933 and 1946 when lucky observers saw more than 5,000 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, the Draconids peaked on the day of the Full Moon in 2025. When you observe this shower, look for the radiant near the constellation Draco the Dragon. The Draconids' parent comet is 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
Orionids Meteor Shower
The Orionids is an average but beautiful meteor shower from October 2 through November 7, 2025. It will peak on the night of October 21 and the morning of October 22, 2025, producing 20 to 25 meteors per hour. The Moon will be new, so you'll have darker skies throughout the meteor shower's peak. The Orionids radiate from Orion the Hunter but can appear almost anywhere in the sky. The Orionids' meteors are dust debris from Halley's Comet.
Taurids Meteor Shower
The Taurids are a minor meteor shower that produces about 5-10 meteors per hour but can produce spectacular fireballs. It is active between late October and late November and is unusual because it comprises two separate streams: The Northern Taurids and the Southern Taurids.  The northern stream is debris left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10, while the southern stream is debris from Comet 2P Encke. The Northern Taurids will peak on November 12, 2025, while the Southern Taurids will peak about a week earlier on November 5, 2025. The Moon will be last quarter on November 12, and the sky will be bright enough to wash out all but the brightest meteors. The Moon on November 5 will be full, and moonlight will interfere throughout the night. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus the Bull, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Leonids Meteor Shower
The Leonids are an average meteor shower, active between November 6 and November 30, 2025, and may produce up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. What is unique about this meteor shower is its cyclonic peak, which occurs about every 33 years. During the cyclonic peak, thousands upon thousands of meteors can rain down. Its most famous outbursts were the "Great Meteor Storms" in 1833 and 1966. The last storm occurred in 2002, so we aren't due for another one this year. Because the Earth runs head-on into the Comet Tempel-Tuttle's debris field, Leonid meteors travel much faster than other storms (45 miles per second). The Leonids peak on the morning of November 18, 2025, and the waning crescent Moon will not interfere throughout most of the night, making it ideal for viewing the shower. Face towards the constellation Leo the Lion and look for its radiant point, although Leonid meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.

Geminids Meteor Shower
The Geminids are active between December 7 and 17 and peak on the night of December 13 and the morning of December 14, 2025. This shower has an hourly rate of about 50 to 100 meteors but can produce as many as 150 meteors per hour, especially when viewed from a dark sky. That averages about 2 to 3 meteors per minute! The Moon will be in a waning crescent phase, and moonlight will interfere during the early morning hours before dawn. Look towards the constellation Gemini, the Twins, where the shower radiates near Pollux and Castor. 3200 Phaethon, the "Rock Comet," is the Geminids' parent comet.

 

Tips for viewing meteor showers:

  • Peak Activity: Meteor showers last for several days. Research the peak night for the highest shooting stars and observe on nights around this broad window.
  • Moon Phase: If you own a Celestron telescope, use the SkyPortal Powered by SkySafari™ Mobile App to check the Moon phase and position during peak viewing hours. Sometimes, the Moon sets early, leaving a dark sky. Other times, moonlight may interfere.
  • Radiant Point: While facing the shower's radiant point is ideal, meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. Meteors closer to the radiant tend to have shorter trails, while those farther away leave longer streaks.
  • Best Viewing Time: Set your alarm for around midnight. Bright meteors are often best seen after midnight when the radiant is highest due to Earth's rotation bringing the observer's location into the path of incoming meteors.
  • Smoke Trails and Bolides: Look for smoky trails or trains left by brighter meteors, and watch for extremely bright fireballs called bolides.
  • Dress Warmly and Be Comfortable: Many of the best meteor showers occur from during Fall and Winter. Dress in layers, use a blanket or lawn chair for neck support, and bring bug spray.
  • Use Your Eyes: Meteors can appear anywhere, so a telescope isn't much help. Wide-field binoculars can sometimes catch meteors, but your unaided eye is best.
  • Bring a Telescope: Take breaks from meteor hunting to observe other types of celestial objects with your telescope under dark skies.
  • Meteor Colors: Look for different colors in meteors.

     

    Final Thoughts

    The best way to experience a meteor shower is to escape the glow of city lights and settle into a quiet, rural spot beneath the stars. Lie back, let your eyes adjust to the dark, and wait for those sudden, fleeting bursts of light. With patience, you'll witness stars seemingly unstick from the sky, spectacularly streaking across the darkness. If you're lucky and looking up at just the right moment, a brilliant, multicolored fireball might blaze by—sure to spark gasps and applause from everyone around you. Soak in the beauty, and remember: there's no harm in making a wish or two on those falling stars.

    Clear skies and happy observing!

    Other articles you might be interested in: Ultimate Guide to Observing the Universe