The year starts off with the short but sweet bang of the Quadrantid meteor shower. It’s one of the year’s strongest showers that peaks in early January.
With reduced moonlight during the peak of the December Geminid meteor shower this year compared to last year, sky watchers will experience more optimal conditions to see one of the year’s best and most anticipated meteor showers in 2025.
Here’s when you can expect the major meteor showers of 2025
Favourable moon phases are expected to make viewing showers this year a stellar experience. If the moon is too bright, it can limit the viewing potential.
Quadrantids
The and are considered to the one of the best annual meteor showers. Best viewing for this shower predicted in the early morning hours of Jan. 3 when the shower will reach peak activity. The shower typically produces about 120 meteors per hour.
Lyrids
The , considered a medium strength shower, runs from April 15 to April 29 — with the peak expected from April 21-22. The meteors in this shower can produce fireballs. This shower typically produces about 18 meteors per hour.Â
Eta Aquariids
The will run from April 15 to May 27, usually only producing about 10-30 per hour just before dawn in the Northern Hemisphere. The shower is expected to peak on the night of May 4-5. The best time to watch is expected to be before dawn on May 5. The shower produces fast meteors that produce a large percentage of persistent trains with a few fireballs.
Delta Aquariids
Southern meteor shower runs from July 18 to Aug. 21, peaking on July 29-30, and are considered a strong shower best seen from the southern tropics. Meteor rates are less when viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. The southern delta Aquariids produce faint meteors largely without persistent trains and fireballs. You’ll typically see plenty of delta Aquariid meteors mixed in with the Perseids, if you’re looking at the night sky in early August.
Alpha Capricornids
The meteor shower runs from July 12 to Aug. 12, peaking Jul. 29-30, with a “plateaulike” maximum expected on July 30. While the shower rarely surpasses five shower members per hour, you will be able to spot a number of bright fireballs.
Perseids
The will run from July 14 to Sept. 1, peaking on Aug. 12 or 13. Meteor rates in rural locations range from 50-75 shower members per hour at their peak. However, in 2025, the moon will impact this major shower at its peak — making activity appear reduced since only the brightest meteors will be visible.
Orionids
The will run from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22, with peak activity expected on Oct. 22-23. The shower is considered medium strength, but sometimes reaches high strength activity. Typically, the Orionids produce 10-20 shower members at the peak. However, in high activity years the peak rates were close to the Perseids shower, which produces about 50-75 per hour. The moon won’t interfere with this shower.
Southern Taurids
The will run from Sept. 23 to Nov. 12 — a complex shower with a fireball swarm expected in 2025. The shower’s official peak is expected on Nov. 5.
Northern Taurids
The run from Oct. 13 to Dec. 2, reaching their peak on Nov. 12. The Northern Taurids are like the Southern Taurids, with activity overlapping in October and early November. The overlap can product an increase in noticeable fireballs in the sky.
Leonids
The is active from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2, reaching its peak on the night of Nov. 16-17. The Leonids are known for producing meteor storms. While there may not be any meteor storms in 2025, sky watchers can still expect amazing activity as meteor rates can reach around 100 per hour.Â
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The , which run from Nov. 19 to Dec. 24, is typically the strongest meteor shower. You’ll want to circle Dec. 13 and 14 on your calendar — when this spectacular shower is set to peak. This major shower provides some good activity prior to midnight and is great for the younger stargazers.Â
Unlike in 2024, this year the moon won’t interfere with this shower in 2025.Â
Ursids
The will run from Dec. 13 to Dec. 24 and is predicted to peak on the night of Dec. 21-22. The Ursids are typically neglected as it peaks just before Christmas and the meteor rates are much less than the Geminds, which peak just before. About five-10 meteors can be seen per hour during the late morning hours during the shower’s peak.Â
For more information about 2025 meteors and other astronomical happenings, check out and the for a full list of showers.Â
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