Orionids 2026: peak night, meteors per hour and where to watch
The Orionids are the autumn shower from Halley's Comet — the same comet behind the May Eta Aquariids. The meteors are very fast, up to 66 km/s, and often leave glowing trains. The radiant near Orion's shoulder rises after midnight; the best hours are before dawn.
- Peak night
- 21–22 October
- ZHR
- up to 20 an hour
- Moon
- 79% — not in the way
- Active
- 2 October — 7 November
- Radiant
- Orion · before dawn
- Best time over London
- around 05:17, radiant 54° up
- Under a dark sky
- ≈ 16 meteors an hour
- Speed
- 66 km/s
- Parent
- 1P/Halley
How to see a meteor shower, not three meteors
- 1
Get away from light pollution
The Dark Sky layer on the map shows where it is Bortle 4 or darker, with campsites nearby.
- 2
Wait until after midnight
The radiant climbs towards morning and Earth 'flies into' the dust: two to three times more meteors than in the evening.
- 3
Look away from the radiant
40–60° from the radiant meteors are longer. Lie down, keep warm, give your eyes 20 minutes without a phone.
Orionids FAQ
When do the Orionids peak in 2026?
On the night of 21–22 October; over London the best time is around 05:17, when the radiant in Orion is 54° up.
How many meteors will I see?
The shower ZHR is 20; over London under a dark sky about 16 an hour, in a city just a few.
Will the Moon get in the way?
No: the Moon is 79% lit and out of the way at the best hours.
Other meteor showers of 2026
Quadrantids · 3–4 JanuaryLyrids · 22–23 AprilEta Aquariids · 5–6 MaySouthern Delta Aquariids · 31 July — 1 AugustAlpha Capricornids · 31 July — 1 AugustPerseids · 12–13 AugustDraconids · 8–9 OctoberSouthern Taurids · 5–6 NovemberNorthern Taurids · 12–13 NovemberLeonids · 17–18 NovemberDecember Monocerotids · 8–9 DecemberSigma Hydrids · 8–9 DecemberGeminids · 14–15 DecemberUrsids · 22–23 DecemberMeteor showers 2026 →