2026 Celestial Calendar: Meteor Showers & Supermoons
A series of meteor showers and lunar events are set for 2026, beginning with the Quadrantid meteor shower in January, which will coincide with a supermoon and result in reduced visibility. Later, the Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak in early May.
January: Quadrantid Meteor Shower and Supermoon
The Quadrantid meteor shower reached its peak visibility from Friday night into Saturday morning. Under dark sky conditions, the shower typically produces approximately 25 meteors per hour. However, the illumination from Saturday's supermoon was projected to reduce the observable rate to fewer than 10 meteors per hour.
Meteor showers occur when Earth's orbit intersects with streams of cosmic debris. As these particles enter the atmosphere, they burn up, creating visible streaks of light. The Quadrantids originate from debris associated with asteroid 2003 EH1 and are named after a constellation that is no longer officially recognized. This shower is primarily observable from the Northern Hemisphere.
A supermoon occurs when a full moon reaches its perigee, the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. According to NASA, this orbital proximity can cause the moon to appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than the year's faintest full moon. This difference is often subtle and may not be easily distinguishable to the unaided eye. Supermoons are visible globally in clear nighttime skies. Both the Quadrantids and the supermoon can be observed without specialized optical equipment.
Viewing Recommendations for January
For optimal viewing of the Quadrantids, observers were advised to seek areas with minimal urban light pollution during the early evening hours, prior to the supermoon's peak illumination. An alternative viewing opportunity was suggested for the early dawn hours on Sunday. Recommendations included allowing eyes to adapt to darkness and avoiding light sources such as mobile phones. The meteors typically appear as swift, white points across the sky.
This supermoon concluded a series of four consecutive supermoons that began in October. The next supermoon is not anticipated until the end of 2026.
May: Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, active from April 19 to May 28, 2026, will peak overnight on May 5-6. The shower is caused by Earth passing through debris from Halley's Comet (1P/Halley). Halley's Comet last visited Earth's vicinity in 1986 and is projected to return in 2061.
Viewing Conditions for May
The peak will feature a waning gibbous moon at approximately 81% to 84% illumination, which may reduce visibility of fainter meteors. Under ideal conditions, observers in the Southern Hemisphere may see up to 50 to 60 meteors per hour, while Northern Hemisphere viewers may see 10 to 30 per hour, with moonlight potentially lowering observed rates further. The shower is known for producing bright meteors called 'Earthgrazers,' which may still be visible despite moonlight.
Viewing Tips for May
The radiant is located near the stars Zeta Aquarii and Sadachbia in the constellation Aquarius (right ascension: 23 hours, declination: -15 degrees). For Northern Hemisphere observers, the meteors will appear low on the southeast horizon. For Southern Hemisphere observers, the radiant is higher, making this one of the best meteor showers of the year.
The best viewing time is in the early morning hours of May 6, just before dawn, when Aquarius is at its highest. Observers are advised to look approximately 40 degrees away from the radiant toward the local zenith.
Recommendations for observers include:
- Finding a dark location away from city lights.
- Allowing 20-30 minutes for eyes to adjust to darkness.
- Avoiding looking at phone screens.
- Dressing warmly and planning to spend at least one to two hours watching.
- For photography, using a camera with manual settings and a tripod.
Future Celestial Events
The next significant meteor shower after the Quadrantids, the Lyrids, is scheduled for April.