meteor showers | EarthSky

Many short glowing streaks in a mostly dark sky. One has a bright explosion at its end.

Meteor showers are here! 10 easy tips for watching

Meteor showers are unpredictable but nothing beats them for a fun and relaxing time under the stars. Here are our 10 tips to optimize your meteor viewing time.

An irregular rocky body hurtling through space, surrounded by a cloud of haze.

Comet Halley is the parent of 2 meteor showers

The famous comet Halley spawns both the October Orionid meteor shower and the May Eta Aquariid meteor shower. It'll return to the inner solar system in 2061.

Ten thin, white streaks of different lengths radiating out from a small, white circle in a dark sky.

Radiant point of meteor showers: All you need to know

Meteors enter Earth's atmosphere on parallel paths. So, you'll see meteors appear to come from a single point in the sky: the radiant point!

10 great places to see meteor showers in the US

Looking for an awesome place to watch meteor showers in the U.S.? AccuWeather - and the editors of EarthSky - recommend these 10 places.

See it! The weekend’s meteor showers

Both Leonid and Taurid meteors were raining down this past weekend. Many said the Leonids were sparse this year, but the EarthSky community caught some! Photos here.

Forecast for Mercury: Morning micro-meteor showers

Mercury - with only the thinnest of atmospheres - has a continuous rain of micro-meteors wherever on the planet dawn is breaking.

2026 Eta Aquariid meteor shower best before dawn on May 5

May's Eta Aquariid meteor shower is best in 2026 on the morning of May 5. Find a way to block the moonlight and watch in the hours before dawn.

Meteor shower guide 2026: Up next … the Eta Aquariids

Up next is the Eta Aquariid meteor shower. Watch for them before dawn on May 5. Your 2026 meteor shower guide here.

Timelapse of Geminid meteor shower with dozens of meteors streaking across the sky.

New meteor shower from an asteroid being eroded by the sun

A new meteor shower has been linked to an asteroid that was broken up when it passed too close to the sun. Find out more here.

Bright meteor streak under a bright gibbous moon and a few stars showing as well.

Meteors in moonlight: 6 tips for watching

Meteors in moonlight: it's not optimal, but it's happening for the Eta Aquariids in 2026! Here are 6 tips for watching this year's shower.

A white streak cuts across the deep, muted orange sky above silhouetted trees against a backdrop of stars.

Learn how to shoot photos of meteors

Want to shoot photos of meteors with your camera? The first step is planning. The next step is to gather your equipment. Then on to the capture process.

Long bright streak in starry blue sky above a lake with distant mountains.

How high up are meteors when they begin to glow?

How high up are meteors when they begin to glow? Meteors begin to glow almost as soon as they hit Earth's atmosphere, but vaporize at varying altitudes.

The Great Meteor Procession 112 years ago

On February 9, 1913, lucky observers witnessed the Great Meteor Procession. Bright meteors soared horizontally across the sky for minutes at a time.

Are large asteroids hidden in this annual meteor shower?

Large asteroids hidden in the Taurid meteors could be a threat to Earth. One of them might be responsible for the 1908 Tunguska event.

Space rock venting glowing yellow streamers with bright sun in mid distance.

How asteroid Phaethon can spawn the Geminid meteors

Phaethon is a weird asteroid that behaves like a comet. It's also responsible for the Geminid meteor shower. Find out how it does so, here.

Closeup of gray-brown moon, half illuminated, with dark smooth areas and many craters.

Did meteorites create the moon’s atmosphere?

Did meteorites create the moon's atmosphere? A new study of soil samples - collected by Apollo astronauts in the 1970s - says yes.

Star chart: Constellation Aquarius with radial arrows from its middle.

Eta Aquariid meteors are richer from the Southern Hemisphere

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is better in the Southern Hemisphere because sunrise comes later in May, where it's now autumn and they are moving toward winter.

Green, yellow, orange and pink streaks of light at the horizon, reflected in water. Two thin white lines in the sky.

Geminid meteor shower 2023: Cool photos!

See the best photos of the Geminid meteor shower of 2023 from our talented community of photographers, from all over the world.

Many bright, thin meteor streaks falling from top of sky, with Milky Way nearby, over nearby buildings.

Perseid meteor photos from around the world, 2023

See these Perseid meteor photos from EarthSky community members from around the world. Thanks to all who contributed these great photos!

Dark hills, with Milky Way and a thin white streak bigger at lower end.

Observing meteors: Top 10 tips for the Perseids

The 2021 Perseid meteor shower is rising to its peak and many are observing meteors. Here are our best 10 tips for watching this shower, or any other!

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Meteor showers are here! 10 easy tips for watching

Comet Halley is the parent of 2 meteor showers

Radiant point of meteor showers: All you need to know

10 great places to see meteor showers in the US

See it! The weekend’s meteor showers

Forecast for Mercury: Morning micro-meteor showers

2026 Eta Aquariid meteor shower best before dawn on May 5

Meteor shower guide 2026: Up next … the Eta Aquariids

New meteor shower from an asteroid being eroded by the sun

Meteors in moonlight: 6 tips for watching

Learn how to shoot photos of meteors

How high up are meteors when they begin to glow?

The Great Meteor Procession 112 years ago

Are large asteroids hidden in this annual meteor shower?

How asteroid Phaethon can spawn the Geminid meteors

Did meteorites create the moon’s atmosphere?

Eta Aquariid meteors are richer from the Southern Hemisphere

Geminid meteor shower 2023: Cool photos!

Perseid meteor photos from around the world, 2023

Observing meteors: Top 10 tips for the Perseids