Need an excuse to get outside and relax your gaze towards the skies? While celestial distractions are never hard to come by on clear evenings, meteor showers offer a different kind of temptation that encourages investment in a good blanket or chair and permission to unplug from earthbound commitments.
Below are nearly a dozen for the rest of 2025 that are worth circling on your calendar. So mark the date, stock up on coffee, and get ready to marvel at some of nature’s most breathtaking fireworks.
April 17-26: The Lyrid Meteor Shower
Peak: April 21-22
Moon Impact: Medium
One of the oldest-known meteor showers, with observations dating back 2,700 years, the Lyrids average 10 to 20 fireballs per hour at their peak. Viewing conditions are best in the Northern Hemisphere, though Southern denizens may also have a chance at spotting a handful. Your best bet for viewing Lyrid fireballs will be in the darkest hours before dawn. Pro-tip: Look for the star Vega (one of the night’s brightest), which makes up part of the constellation Lyra (the harp) and serves as the radiant point for the Lyrids.
What is the radiant point of a meteor shower?
The point in the sky where all meteors appear to stem from during a meteor shower is called the radiant point.
April 15-May 27: The Eta Aquarids Shower
Peak: May 4-5
Moon Impact: Low
Created from debris trails from Halley’s Comet, the eta Aquariids can be seen from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It produces a peak average of roughly 10 to 50 meteors per hour, with average velocities of 40.7 miles per second that leave glowing streaks across the sky capable of lasting several seconds.
Those in the Southern Hemisphere will likely see a higher rate of Aquariids at peak due to the radiant of the shower (aka the constellation Aquarius) being higher in the sky than in the North. Nonetheless, everyone should take advantage of clear skies to wake up early before dawn and glimpse this impressive shower.
Getty Images
July 7-Aug. 15: The Alpha Capricornids Meteor Shower
Peak: July 30-31
Moon Impact: Low
Originating from Comet 169P/NEAT, the Alpha Capricornids peak on July 30, offering equally good views in both hemispheres. With the moon in its waxing crescent phase (27 percent full) on this night, interference will be minimal, and dark skies will make any Earth-grazing fireballs stand out dramatically. Wake up early, grab a blanket, and look to the constellation Capricornus for the radiant of this shower.
July 18-Aug. 12: The Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower
Peak: July 29-30
Moon Impact: None
Best viewed in the Southern Hemisphere and southern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, 86 percent of the delta Aquariids offer a moderate shower of 25 meteors per hour. That said, these are trickier to spot than other annual showers, as the meteors are generally quite faint and cannot compete with light pollution. The good news for those outside urban areas is that the moon will set relatively early on the peak evening of July 29, creating excellent dark sky conditions.
July 17-Aug. 23: The Perseids Meteor Shower
Peak: Aug. 12-13
Moon Impact: High
The Perseids, an annual showstopper shower known for peak average rates of 50 to 75 meteors per hour, will be up against a waning gibbous moon (86 percent illumination) on the evening of Aug. 12. This will, unfortunately, eliminate all but the brightest fireballs, with those in dark sky locations receiving the best show despite the lunar conditions. If you’re feeling lucky, look north towards the constellation Perseus to catch the radiant of this celebrated shower.
Bill Ingalls/ NASA via Getty Images
Oct. 6-10: The Draconids Meteor Shower
Peak: Oct. 8
Moon Impact: High
While other meteor showers are best observed with a cup of coffee before dawn, the Draconids have the distinction of respecting your sleep schedule with ideal viewing conditions just after nightfall. Originating from debris left behind by Comet 21 P/Giacobini-Zinner, dark sky conditions usually result in a peak average of eight to 10 shooting stars.
Unfortunately, a full supermoon on the peak of Oct. 8th (30 percent brighter than your average full moon) will likely block all but the most spectacular meteors. The one saving grace: the Draconids are known to have strong outbursts, with EarthSky hinting that the proximity of this year’s debris trail could produce something spectacular. Worth getting your hopes up? Likely not, but as mentioned earlier, you won’t lose any sleep over spending a little time looking up either just in case.
Oct. 2-Nov. 12: The Orionids Meteor Shower
Peak: Oct. 21-22
Moon Impact: None
Like the eta Aquariids, the Orionids are a meteor shower born from debris left behind by Halley’s Comet. While the Orionids aren’t known for storming up the skies, with 10 to 20 meteors per hour at peak, they are typically quite bright. Even better, a new moon will coincide with this year’s peak on the evening of Oct. 21, leading to exceptionally dark viewing conditions. Look up between midnight and dawn towards the shower’s radiant point in the constellation Orion.
Oct. 13-Dec. 1: The Taurids Meteor Shower
Peak: Nov. 4-9
Moon Impact: High
The Taurids are made of two debris streams: the South Taurids, which peak on Nov. 5, and the North Taurids, which peak on Nov. 9. Both meteor showers are believed to stem from a large object that, according to EarthSky, broke up some 20,000 years ago. While their average rate of five meteors per hour (10 when both showers overlap) is nothing spectacular, the good news is that Taurids are both slow-moving and exceptionally bright. Some may even be fireballs, aka meteors that are briefly capable of outshining even Venus as the brightest objects in the night sky.
The Taurids’ characteristic brightness is an especially good thing this year, as a nearly full moon will block all but the most spectacular shooting stars. Look towards the constellation Taurus in the early morning hours for this shower’s radiant point.
Nov. 3-Dec. 2: The Leonids Meteor Shower
Peak: Nov. 16-17
Moon Impact: Low
On Nov. 16, 1966, the Leonid meteor shower roared with thousands of meteors blazing across the sky every minute, creating a scene akin to a celestial downpour. Unfortunately, these associated storms are extremely rare, with the chances (about once every 33 years) highly dependent on the density of the debris trails left behind by the Leonids’ parent comet of 55P/Temple-Tuttle. Average years, like the one predicted for 2025, will produce anywhere from 10 to 15 shooting stars at peak—a far cry from the storm of 1966 or even 1833, where an estimated 100,000 meteors rained down per hour.
The good news is that a waning crescent moon (9 percent illumination) will coincide with the shower’s peak on Nov. 16, providing little interference to spot even the faintest Leonids.
Xue Bing/Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Dec. 1-21: The Geminids Meteor Shower
Peak: Dec. 12-13
Moon Impact: Low
The Geminids meteor shower this year will steal the spotlight thanks to near-zero interference from a late-rising waning crescent moon. As such, stargazers on the peak evening of Dec. 11 can expect under dark sky conditions to spot anywhere from 100 to 120 meteors per hour.
Like the other showers on our list, this one is best observed after midnight. The Geminids will appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini, but in truth can be spotted by looking anywhere in the night sky. They are characteristically bright and colorful but do not generally leave behind trails. Grab a chair and blanket and bask in the beauty of one of the best showers of the year.
Dec. 16-26: The Ursids Meteor Shower
Peak: Dec. 21-22
Moon Impact: None
Closing out 2025 is the Ursids, a rather capricious shower that coincides with the December solstice and averages anywhere from five to 10 meteors per hour. Outbursts, however, have occasionally occurred, pushing that average rate from 25 to 100 shooting stars hourly. This unpredictability is part of the fun and a good enough reason to circle the Ursids on your celestial to-do list. This year’s display will coincide with a waxing crescent moon (2 percent illumination). Look to the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor for this shower’s radiant point.
