When is the next meteor shower in Boston?
Next: the Taurids, best Thursday, November 5–6
Best window 9:10 pm–3:30 am, with the radiant 63° up and about 8 meteors an hour from a dark site near Boston. Strongest this year from here: Geminids (about 110 an hour), Perseids (about 100 an hour), Quadrantids (about 30 an hour).
Every peak of the coming year
| Shower | Best night | Best time | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taurids | Thu, Nov 5–6 | 9:10 pm–3:30 am | 8 |
| Leonids | Tue, Nov 17–18 | 2:20 am–5:40 am | 10 |
| Geminids | Sun, Dec 13–14 | 11:00 pm–6:00 am | 110 |
| Ursids | Mon, Dec 21–22 | 5:30 am–6:10 am | 4 |
| Quadrantids | Sun, Jan 3–4 | 1:30 am–6:10 am | 30 |
| Lyrids | Thu, Apr 22–23 | 12:40 am–4:50 am | 5 |
| Eta Aquariids | Wed, May 5–6 | 3:50 am–4:30 am | 20 |
| Perseids | Thu, Aug 12–13 | 2:10 am–4:50 am | 100 |
| Orionids | Thu, Oct 21–22 | 2:00 am–6:10 am | 8 |
* 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.
Tonight
The Southern Taurids are at their peak; at 12:20 am the radiant is 63° up. Moon 17% lit, rises 2:40 am. Dark sky 5:40 pm–5:20 am.
| Active shower | Best time | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Taurids | 9:20 pm–3:10 am | 6 |
| Northern Taurids | 9:10 pm–3:10 am | 2 |
| Orionids | 12:20 am–5:20 am | under 1 |
| Leonids | Radiant below the horizon | under 1 |
* 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.
Meteor showers from Boston
Boston is at 42.4°N. From this far north, the radiants of the Perseids, Quadrantids and Ursids stay up for much of the night, while the Eta Aquariids barely rise before dawn.
The best night is the local night that contains the shower's peak, or the one after if the peak falls in daylight here; the best time is when the radiant is highest in a dark sky and the Moon least in the way. Rates assume a dark site with a clear sky, so read them as an upper end.
Questions
When is the next meteor shower in Boston?
The Taurids: best on the night of Thursday, November 5–6, 9:10 pm–3:30 am local time, about 8 an hour from a dark site.
What is the best meteor shower to see from Boston?
Computed for this year, with this year's Moon: Geminids about 110 an hour on Sun, Dec 13–14; Perseids about 100 an hour on Thu, Aug 12–13; Quadrantids about 30 an hour on Sun, Jan 3–4.
Where can I see meteors near Boston?
Anywhere away from Boston's lights with a wide view of the sky. Even 30–60 minutes' drive out of town can triple what you see. We do not forecast clouds: check your local forecast.
Also over Boston
Nearby cities
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.