SkyMate
Join waitlistWaitlist
Meteor shower · October

Draconids 2026

A quirky October shower: usually quiet, occasionally a storm, and best in the evening rather than before dawn.

Peak nightOct 8–9
Rate at peakup to ~3/hour
Moon at peak4% · rises 05:46
Best time from London20:15–02:00
Join the waitlistHow to watch

The Draconids from London

Times for London, United Kingdom

On the night of Oct 8–9, the radiant climbs to 65° in the northwest while it’s dark in London. The Moon is only 4% lit, so moonlight won’t be a problem. The best window here is about 20:15–02:00.

  1. 20:13Astronomical darkness begins
  2. 20:15Best window begins
  3. 05:23Dawn twilight begins
  4. 05:46Moon rises, 4% lit
0°30°60°90°18:0021:0000:0003:0006:00RadiantMoon (4%)
Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. Traced backward, their trails meet at the radiant; the higher it is, the more you’ll see.

How to watch

Look in the evening, as soon as it’s dark: the radiant is highest at dusk and sinks through the night. In most years you’ll see only a few meteors, but the Draconids have surprised observers with sudden outbursts.

The radiant is in the head of Draco, high in the northwest sky at dusk for northern observers. Up to about 3 meteors an hour at the peak under ideal skies (the zenithal hourly rate). The shower is active from about 5 Oct to 10 Oct.

Get as far from streetlights as you can and give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the dark. Every glance at a bright phone screen resets that, so keep it away or use a red night mode.

Lie back on a reclining chair or a mat and take in as much sky as possible, looking about halfway up rather than straight at the radiant. Meteors can appear anywhere; the ones far from the radiant have longer trails.

You need no equipment. Binoculars and telescopes show only a tiny patch of sky, so they make you miss meteors. Dress warmly, even in summer, and plan to watch for at least an hour: meteors come in clumps and lulls.

Where do they come from?

The Draconids are debris from Comet 21P/Giacobini–Zinner, which returns every 6.6 years. Years when Earth meets a fresh dust trail from the comet can bring outbursts; famous storms came in 1933 and 1946.

Very slow meteors, at about 20 km/s.

Active
5–10 Oct
Peak
around 8 Oct 2026
Rate at peak (ZHR)
~3 per hour
Speed
20 km/s
Parent body
Comet 21P/Giacobini–Zinner
Radiant
Draco

Calendar

Every major shower’s peak in 2026. Dates are approximate (±1 day) and given in UTC.

Questions

Why watch the Draconids in the evening?
The radiant in Draco is highest right after sunset for northern observers. By dawn it is low in the north.
How many meteors will I really see?
Fewer than the peak rate. The zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) assumes a perfectly dark sky with the radiant straight overhead. With some light pollution, moonlight or a low radiant, a fraction of that is typical.
What is the radiant?
The point in the sky the meteors seem to come from. It’s a perspective effect: the dust travels in parallel paths, like snowflakes seen from a moving car. The higher the radiant, the more meteors you see.
Do I need a telescope or binoculars?
No. Your eyes are best because meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. Optical aid narrows your view far too much.
Know the best hour for your sky.SkyMate can remind you when the radiant is up and the sky is dark where you are.Join the waitlist

Sources: Global Meteor Network (activity and peak solar longitudes, CC BY 4.0); Moorhead, Clements & Vida 2022 (radiants and speeds, CC BY 4.0); NASA Meteoroid Environment Office (typical peak rates; no NASA endorsement implied). Peak dates and positions computed by SkyMate. Data & Licences

Another meteor showerQuadrantidsAnother meteor showerLyrids4° awayRastaban6° awayEltaninGuideHow to watch a meteor showerToolMoon phase & visibility tool