Draconids meteor shower 2026
Peak night, up to 10 meteors an hour under a dark sky. The Moon is almost out of the way — a good year.
When
What it is
The Draconids are dust from 21P/Giacobini–Zinner. Each year the Earth crosses this stream and the grains burn up 80–100 km above us at 20 km/s. The meteors seem to fly out of Draco, so the shower is named after it.
How to see it
Go somewhere dark in the evening, lie back and look at the whole sky, not at the radiant. Give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt and don’t look at your phone. The Moon is almost out of the way — a good year.
Check the clouds for that night
See it for your city
See also
Saturn at opposition 2026
Saturn is opposite the Sun: up all night, at its closest and brightest (magnitude 0.3) in Cetus.
The Moon meets Mars, 5 October 2026
The Moon passes 1.1° from Mars — a pretty pair for the naked eye and the camera.
The Moon meets Jupiter, 6 October 2026
The Moon passes 0.2° from Jupiter — a pretty pair for the naked eye and the camera.
Mercury at greatest eastern elongation, 12 October 2026
Mercury is 25.2° from the Sun — the best time to find it low in the west after sunset.
Draconids meteor shower 2027
Peak night, up to 10 meteors an hour under a dark sky. The Moon (56%) gets in the way for part of the night — watch after it sets.