🌠 Leonids Meteor Shower 2026
Historically famous for producing spectacular meteor storms (1833, 1866, 1966, 2001) — no storm is predicted for 2026, but rates are typically reliable.
Peak night: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 · Radiant: Leo · Source: Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle
Viewing Conditions for the Leonids
Peak Night
November 17, 2026
Theoretical Rate
Up to 15/hour
Moon on Peak Night
First Quarter (45% lit)
Moon Impact
Moderate interference
Where to Look
East, rising after midnight and climbing higher toward dawn — Leo becomes prominent in the pre-dawn eastern sky.
Best Time
After midnight until dawn on November 17, when Leo has risen well above the horizon.
Active Nov 3 through Dec 2, 2026, favoring the Northern and Southern Hemispheres roughly equally. Moon on peak night: First Quarter, 45% illuminated.
Viewing Tips
- →No meteor storm is predicted for 2026 — the historic Leonid storms happen roughly every 33 years when Earth passes through an especially dense part of the comet's debris trail, and this isn't one of those years.
- →Leonid meteors are known for being fast and often leaving visible trains, similar to the Orionids.
- →Modest but reliable rates make this a solid, low-effort shower to check even without storm-level expectations.
📷 Photography Tips
- →Frame toward the east where Leo rises, using its recognizable sickle-shaped head as a reference point.
- →Fast meteors again favor a slightly shorter exposure to keep streaks crisp rather than washed out.
- →Because rates are modest in a non-storm year, a longer overnight session improves your odds more than shooting only around the exact peak hour.
Live sky conditions for your exact location, including cloud cover: Sky Tonight.
Gear That Helps (Optional)
Meteor showers are a naked-eye event — you don't need anything to watch the Leonids. Binoculars can help you explore the sky between meteors, or get a closer look at the shower's radiant area.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be a meteor storm in 2026?+
No — the Leonids' historic storm-level outbursts (1833, 1866, 1966, 2001) occur roughly every 33 years when Earth crosses an unusually dense filament of the comet's debris; 2026 is not predicted to be one of those years, so expect typical, modest rates.
What causes the Leonid meteor storms historically?+
Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, the Leonids' parent body, orbits the Sun roughly every 33 years and leaves behind especially dense debris filaments near its own passage — when Earth crosses one of these dense filaments, rates can spike into the thousands per hour.