When is the Leonid meteor shower 2026?
The Leonids peak on November 17, 2026
Peak Nov 17, 23:45 UT. ZHR ≈15, Moon 55% lit at the peak. From New York, the best window is 2:40 am–5:50 am on the night of Tuesday, November 17–18. Pick your city for its own times.
Best time to watch
computed for each cityAt 5:40 am the radiant in Leo is 70° up; the radiant rises at 11:00 pm. Moon 57% lit, sets 12:00 am. Dark sky 5:40 pm–5:50 am.
| Night | Best time | Meteors per hour* |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Nov 15–16 | 3:30 am–5:50 am | 5 |
| Mon, Nov 16–17 | 3:30 am–5:50 am | 10 |
| Tue, Nov 17–18 peak | 2:40 am–5:50 am | 10 |
| Wed, Nov 18–19 | 2:40 am–5:50 am | 5 |
| Thu, Nov 19–20 | 2:40 am–5:50 am | 3 |
* 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 Leonids in our biggest cities, local time.
| City | Best night | Best time (local) | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 2:40 am–5:50 am | 10 |
| Los Angeles | Mon, Nov 16–17 | 3:30 am–5:40 am | 10 |
| Chicago | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 2:30 am–5:40 am | 10 |
| Houston | Mon, Nov 16–17 | 3:50 am–6:00 am | 10 |
| Phoenix | Mon, Nov 16–17 | 4:00 am–6:10 am | 10 |
| Philadelphia | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 2:40 am–5:50 am | 10 |
| Jacksonville | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 3:20 am–6:10 am | 10 |
| Columbus | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 3:20 am–6:20 am | 10 |
| Charlotte | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 3:10 am–6:10 am | 10 |
| Indianapolis | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 3:30 am–6:40 am | 10 |
| Seattle | Mon, Nov 16–17 | 3:40 am–6:10 am | 10 |
| Denver | Mon, Nov 16–17 | 3:30 am–5:50 am | 10 |
| London | Tue 17–18 Nov | 2:30 am–6:10 am | 10 |
| Birmingham | Tue 17–18 Nov | 2:30 am–6:20 am | 10 |
| Glasgow | Tue 17–18 Nov | 2:40 am–6:40 am | 10 |
| Manchester | Tue 17–18 Nov | 2:30 am–6:20 am | 10 |
| Toronto | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 3:00 am–6:10 am | 10 |
| Montréal | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 2:30 am–5:50 am | 10 |
| Calgary | Mon, Nov 16–17 | 5:00 am–7:40 am | 10 |
| Ottawa | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 2:40 am–6:00 am | 10 |
| Sydney | Tue 17–18 Nov | 4:10 am–4:50 am | 5 |
| Melbourne | Tue 17–18 Nov | 4:20 am–5:00 am | 4 |
| Brisbane | Tue 17–18 Nov | 3:00 am–4:00 am | 6 |
| Perth | Tue 17–18 Nov | 3:20 am–4:10 am | 6 |
| Dublin | Tue 17–18 Nov | 2:50 am–6:40 am | 10 |
| Auckland | Tue 17–18 Nov | 4:20 am–5:00 am | 4 |
* 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 Leonids
The Leonids come from comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle and are the fastest meteors of the year, about 71 km/s. They gave historic storms (1833, 1966, 1999–2002), but in normal years the rate is about 15 an hour. The radiant in Leo's 'sickle' rises around midnight, so the Leonids are a pre-dawn shower.
IMO: the regular maximum falls on November 17 at 23:45 UT (Maslov gives 16h UT, ZHR about 15). Model runs by Vaubaillon and Sato show encounters with low-density dust trails on November 17–19, not expected to produce a significant outburst. The Moon is near first quarter at the peak.
Parent body: comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. Active Nov 6–Nov 30. Radiant in Leo; both hemispheres.
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 Leonid meteor shower 2026?
The Leonids are active Nov 6–Nov 30, with the peak Nov 17, 23:45 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 Leonids?
From New York, 2:40 am–5:50 am on the night of Tuesday, November 17–18, when the radiant is 70° up. In general, when the radiant is highest in a dark sky, which for most showers is after midnight.
How many Leonids will I see per hour?
The IMO lists a ZHR of ≈15: the rate under a perfect sky with the radiant overhead. From a dark site near New York at the best time, expect about 10 an hour; from a town, a third or less. These are estimates: real rates vary.
Will the Moon affect the Leonids?
The Moon is 55% lit at the peak. It will hide fainter meteors while it is up; the table shows when it rises or sets for your city.
Where should I look for the Leonids?
Anywhere: meteors appear all over the sky, they only trace back to the radiant in Leo. 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.