Meteor Showers Active Now: Here’s What to Watch for in the Night Sky

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to spend a warm summer evening outdoors, this week offers one of the year’s best opportunities. Three meteor showers are active at the same time, and while one of them won’t peak until August, two others are reaching their maximum activity right now.

Even better? One of these showers is famous for producing brilliant fireballs that can light up the sky.

Here’s what to know before you head outside.

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Southern Delta Aquariids

Active: July 12–August 23
Peak: July 30–31
Expected Rate: Up to 20–25 meteors per hour under dark skies

The Southern Delta Aquariids are known for their steady display of graceful, medium-speed meteors. While they rarely produce exceptionally bright streaks, patient observers under dark skies can enjoy a constant stream of shooting stars throughout the night.

The shower appears to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, which climbs higher in the southern sky after midnight.

Best viewing:

• Midnight until dawn
• Face generally south
• Allow your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness

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Alpha Capricornids

Active: July 3–August 15
Peak: July 30–31
Expected Rate: Around 3–5 meteors per hour

Don’t let the lower numbers fool you.

The Alpha Capricornids are famous for producing spectacular fireballs—exceptionally bright meteors that can outshine nearly every star in the sky. You may only see a handful each hour, but they’re often memorable enough to make the entire evening worthwhile.

The radiant lies near the constellation Capricornus, low in the southern sky.

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The Perseids Are Beginning

Active: July 17–August 24
Peak: August 12–13

Perhaps the most beloved meteor shower of the year, the Perseids have already begun. Activity is still relatively light, but if you’re patient, you might catch an early Perseid mixed in with the Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids.

By mid-August, the Perseids will produce 60–100 meteors per hour from dark locations, making them one of the year’s premier skywatching events.

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How to Watch

You don’t need any special equipment.

Simply find a dark location away from city lights, bring a reclining chair or blanket, and look up.

For the best chance of seeing meteors:

• Watch between midnight and dawn.
• Look about 40–60 degrees away from the meteor shower’s radiant rather than directly at it.
• Avoid looking at your phone so your eyes remain adjusted to the dark.
• Be patient—meteor watching rewards those who stay outside for at least 30–60 minutes.

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A Bright Moon Will Reduce Visibility

This year’s viewing comes with one challenge.

The Full Buck Moon reaches its peak on Wednesday, July 29, meaning moonlight will brighten the sky during the Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids peaks. The bright Moon will wash out many of the fainter meteors.

Fortunately, the brightest Alpha Capricornid fireballs should still punch through the moonlight, making them well worth watching.

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Looking Ahead: The Best Meteor Shower of 2026

If you only plan to watch one meteor shower this year, make it the Perseids.

Their peak arrives on August 12–13, and this year coincides with a new moon, providing exceptionally dark skies and ideal viewing conditions. Under rural skies, observers could see 60 to 100 meteors per hour, with occasional bright fireballs streaking overhead.

Mark your calendar now—it promises to be one of the finest celestial shows of 2026.

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Quick Reference

Meteor Shower	Active Dates	Peak	Best Feature
Southern Delta Aquariids	July 12–August 23	July 30–31	Up to 20–25 meteors per hour
Alpha Capricornids	July 3–August 15	July 30–31	Bright, slow-moving fireballs
Perseids	July 17–August 24	August 12–13	Up to 100 meteors per hour under dark skies

Tip: If skies are clear this week, head outside after midnight and keep watching until dawn. With three meteor showers active at once, there’s an excellent chance you’ll catch a shooting star—or even a brilliant fireball—crossing the summer sky.