When is the Geminid meteor shower 2026?
The Geminids peak on December 14, 2026
Peak Dec 14, 14:00 UT. ZHR 150, Moon 25% lit at the peak. From New York, the best window is 11:20 pm–6:10 am on the night of Sunday, December 13–14. Pick your city for its own times.
Best time to watch
computed for each cityAt 2:50 am the radiant in Gemini is 76° up; the radiant rises at 5:40 pm. Moon 22% lit, sets 8:40 pm. Dark sky 5:40 pm–6:10 am.
| Night | Best time | Meteors per hour* |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Dec 11–12 | 11:20 pm–6:10 am | 20 |
| Sat, Dec 12–13 | 11:20 pm–6:10 am | 45 |
| Sun, Dec 13–14 peak | 11:20 pm–6:10 am | 110 |
| Mon, Dec 14–15 | 9:50 pm–4:40 am | 80 |
| Tue, Dec 15–16 | 10:30 pm–4:40 am | 30 |
* Estimated meteors per hour at the best time from a dark site under a clear sky (ZHR × radiant height × Moon). From a town expect a third or less. Rates vary from year to year; weather is not forecast.
City by city
The best night and window for the Geminids in our biggest cities, local time.
| City | Best night | Best time (local) | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:20 pm–6:10 am | 110 |
| Los Angeles | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:20 pm–6:00 am | 130 |
| Chicago | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:10 pm–6:10 am | 120 |
| Houston | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:50 pm–6:20 am | 120 |
| Phoenix | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:50 pm–6:30 am | 130 |
| Philadelphia | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:20 pm–6:10 am | 120 |
| Jacksonville | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:50 pm–6:20 am | 120 |
| Columbus | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:50 pm–6:50 am | 120 |
| Charlotte | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:50 pm–6:30 am | 120 |
| Indianapolis | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 12:10 am–7:00 am | 120 |
| Seattle | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:20 pm–6:30 am | 130 |
| Denver | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:20 pm–6:10 am | 120 |
| London | Mon 14–15 Dec | 9:20 pm–4:50 am | 90 |
| Birmingham | Sun 13–14 Dec | 11:20 pm–6:50 am | 90 |
| Glasgow | Sun 13–14 Dec | 11:20 pm–7:10 am | 90 |
| Manchester | Sun 13–14 Dec | 11:20 pm–6:50 am | 90 |
| Toronto | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:40 pm–6:40 am | 120 |
| Montréal | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:10 pm–6:20 am | 110 |
| Calgary | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 12:50 am–8:10 am | 120 |
| Ottawa | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:20 pm–6:30 am | 110 |
| Sydney | Mon 14–15 Dec | 12:40 am–4:40 am | 60 |
| Melbourne | Mon 14–15 Dec | 1:10 am–4:50 am | 45 |
| Brisbane | Mon 14–15 Dec | 11:30 pm–3:50 am | 70 |
| Perth | Mon 14–15 Dec | 12:00 am–4:10 am | 50 |
| Dublin | Sun 13–14 Dec | 11:30 pm–7:10 am | 90 |
| Auckland | Mon 14–15 Dec | 1:40 am–4:50 am | 50 |
* Estimated meteors per hour at the best time from a dark site under a clear sky (ZHR × radiant height × Moon). From a town expect a third or less. Rates vary from year to year; weather is not forecast.
About the Geminids
The Geminids are the strongest reliable shower of the year (ZHR about 150) and unusual: the parent is a rocky asteroid, (3200) Phaethon. They are slow (35 km/s) and often bright. Because the radiant near Castor rises at dusk, the Geminids are the one major shower worth watching from mid-evening.
IMO: the broad, moon-free maximum is centred on December 14 at 14h UT, with ZHRs of 100 or more for roughly 10–12 hours. Peaks in the past two decades all fell between December 13, 21h and December 14, 18h UT. Only a waxing crescent Moon. The radiant rises about sunset well north of the equator and culminates near 2 am local time.
Parent body: asteroid (3200) Phaethon. Active Dec 4–Dec 20. Radiant in Gemini; best from the north.
How to watch
- Get dark. Away from street lights the count can triple.
- Lie back and look about halfway up, toward the darkest part of the sky. You do not need to face the radiant.
- Give it time. Meteors come in clumps; watch for at least 30–60 minutes after your eyes adapt.
- Check the clouds with your local forecast: we do not forecast weather.
Questions
When is the Geminid meteor shower 2026?
The Geminids are active Dec 4–Dec 20, with the peak Dec 14, 14:00 UT (International Meteor Organization). The best night for you depends on where the peak falls in your local night; the city picker on this page works it out.
What time is best to see the Geminids?
From New York, 11:20 pm–6:10 am on the night of Sunday, December 13–14, when the radiant is 76° up. In general, when the radiant is highest in a dark sky, which for most showers is after midnight.
How many Geminids will I see per hour?
The IMO lists a ZHR of 150: the rate under a perfect sky with the radiant overhead. From a dark site near New York at the best time, expect about 110 an hour; from a town, a third or less. These are estimates: real rates vary.
Will the Moon affect the Geminids?
The Moon is 25% lit at the peak. That is little interference.
Where should I look for the Geminids?
Anywhere: meteors appear all over the sky, they only trace back to the radiant in Gemini. Look about halfway up, away from the Moon and city lights, and give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt.
Other meteor showers
Dates, peak times, ZHR and radiant positions: International Meteor Organization, Meteor Shower Calendar 2026 and 2027 (J. Rendtel, ed.), working list of visual meteor showers. Where the IMO gives no peak time, it is the moment the Sun reaches the listed solar longitude. Darkness, Moon and radiant height computed with Skyfield and JPL DE440. Hourly rates are our estimates from the ZHR and are uncertain; real rates vary from year to year. We do not forecast clouds.