Leonid Meteor Shower 2026: Peak Night Nov. 16–17, and the Moon Sets Early
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How we wrote this: Shower facts come from NASA's Leonids page, and Moon phase and moonset times come from the U.S. Naval Observatory (linked below), checked October 28, 2026. Weather and local light pollution matter more than any forecast.
The Leonids are a November classic, famous for once-in-a-generation meteor storms. 2026 isn't a storm year, but the Moon sets before the best viewing hours, which makes it a good year to try.
Key dates
From NASA's Leonids page:
| Fact | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Active | Nov. 6 to Nov. 30 |
| Peak night | Nov. 16–17 |
| Parent comet | 55P/Tempel-Tuttle |
| Radiant | The constellation Leo |
| Speed | About 44 miles (71 km) per second, among the fastest meteors |
What to expect
Set expectations honestly. NASA lists the Leonids as a major shower, but says rates "are often as low as about three meteors per hour" under dark skies. What the Leonids lack in numbers they can make up in quality: NASA notes they are bright, sometimes colorful, and known for fireballs (larger, brighter meteors) and Earth-grazers, long meteors that skim close to the horizon.
For a busier shower, the Geminids peak a month later.
The Moon in 2026
The U.S. Naval Observatory's moon phase data puts New Moon on Nov. 9 and First Quarter on Nov. 17, 2026. On the evening of Nov. 16 the Moon is a waxing crescent, a little under half lit (USNO lists 43%).
The good news is when it sets. In USNO's rise and set figures for Nov. 16, the Moon sets at about 10:53 p.m. in New York City and about 11:09 p.m. in Los Angeles, local time. NASA says the Leonids are best viewed from about midnight local time, so the hours after moonset until dawn are moonless.
How to watch
NASA's viewing tips:
- Start around midnight and stay until dawn if you can.
- Get away from city and street lights.
- Dress for winter. Bring a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair.
- Lie on your back with your feet toward the east and take in as much sky as possible.
- Give your eyes time. NASA says that in less than 30 minutes in the dark your eyes adapt and you'll start to see meteors.
You don't need to stare at Leo. NASA says meteors appear all over the sky, and those seen away from the radiant look longer and more spectacular. Looking straight at the radiant makes them appear short, an effect of perspective called foreshortening.
No equipment is needed: NASA's advice is simply to take in as much of the sky as you can. If you bring binoculars for the Moon earlier in the evening, see stargazing with binoculars.
Why the Leonids are famous: meteor storms
Comet Tempel-Tuttle takes 33 years to orbit the Sun. NASA explains that roughly every 33 years, viewers may see a Leonid storm, defined as at least 1,000 meteors per hour. In 1966, observers saw thousands of meteors per minute during a 15-minute period. The last Leonid storm was in 2002.
The meteors themselves are leftover comet dust. Each year Earth passes through the debris trail, and the particles burn up in the atmosphere as they hit it at high speed.
Check the weather
Clouds end any meteor shower plan. Check your local forecast that afternoon, and pick a backup night or two near the peak.