How to Watch the Spectacular Quadrantids Meteor Shower Tonight

The Orionids typically produce about 20 to 25 meteors per hour during their peak and are known for being particularly bright – most of the Orionids are fiery meteors. Like the Eta Aquarids, the Orionids are debris left behind by Halley’s Comet.

The Orionids radiate from the constellation Orion, which rises around 11 pm local time and is highest in the pre-dawn sky.

The new moon falls on the night of October 21-22, and in the surrounding week the moon will set well before midnight, so you’ll have perfect viewing conditions to see this meteor shower.

Leonids (November-December)

The Leonids are active from approximately November 3rd to December 2nd. According to the American Meteor Society, they have a sharp peak and produce the most meteors during the night between November 16 and November 17. Other organizations predict that this rain will reach its peak From November 17 to November 18. During the peak of the Leonids, you can expect to see about 15 meteors per hour under dark skies.

Although the Leonids produce fewer meteors than many other major meteor showers, they are recognized produces fast-moving, bright, fireball meteors.

The peak of the Leonids will be just before the new moon – on the morning of November 18, the moon will be new 6 percent is illuminated and will not rise as far in the eastern United States 5 in the morning on November 17, so you’ll have plenty of time to see this meteor shower under perfect viewing conditions.

The brightest of the Leonids is Leo, which rises around midnight local time and is highest in the sky at dawn.

Gemini (December)

Gemini is active from approximately December 4th to December 17th, peaking on the night of December 13th to December 14th. They have a sharp peak, so the night of the 13th is the best time to look at the sky.

Gemini is the most spectacular meteor shower of the year: Boasting 120 or even 150 meteors per hour at its peak, this meteor shower is also the brightest and most colorful of the year.

Gemini are bright, slow-moving meteors, often with yellow tones, but they can be a number of other colors, including green, blue, white, red, or orange. Unlike most meteors formed by cometary debris, Gemini is the remains of an asteroid.

On the night of Gemini’s peak, their brightness, the constellation Gemini, will be above the horizon all night, reaching its highest point around 2 a.m. local time, so the meteors will be visible almost all night.

That same night, the Moon will be approx 32 percent is illuminated and will rise around 1:30 a.m In the eastern US, so if you watch this shower shortly after midnight, moonlight won’t interfere with your viewing experience.

Ursids (December)

Ursids are active from December 17th to December 26th, peaking in the early morning hours of December 22nd. This meteor shower is less active than others, typically producing about 10 meteors per hour; however, viewing conditions will be perfect for sky gazing. On the 21st, the moon will set around 6pm in the eastern US, so no moonlight will block this meteor shower.

Although the Ursids usually produce the most meteors before dawn, when the Moon Minor (or Ursa Minor) is at its brightest in the sky, you’ll be able to see meteors throughout the night during the peak of this shower. In northern latitudes, the Ursids beam is above the horizon all night.