Meteor showers 2028: 8 peak dates, 6 under dark skies
The 8 major annual showers peak between 3 January 2028 and 22 December 2028 in 2028. 6 of them fall when the moon is near new and the sky stays dark; the other 2 compete with moonlight.
When is the next meteor shower?
The next peak of 2028 is the Quadrantids on Monday, 3 January 2028, 467 days away. The moon will be a waxing crescent that night, so the sky stays dark and faint meteors should show. The radiant sits in Bootes, and the stream comes from asteroid 2003 EH1.
Which meteor shower is best in 2028?
Two showers dominate most years: the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December. In 2028 the Perseids peak on Saturday, 12 August 2028 with a waning gibbous, and the Geminids on Thursday, 14 December 2028 with a waning crescent. The Geminids get the dark sky this year and the Perseids do not, so December is the better bet despite the cold. The Geminids peak 7 days before the December solstice, which puts them in the longest nights of the northern year.
Will the moon spoil the 2028 showers?
Moonlight is the single biggest thing an observer cannot control, and it is entirely predictable. A shower peaking within about a week of new moon gets a dark sky; one peaking near full moon loses most of its fainter meteors to the glare. In 2028, 6 of the 8 major peaks fall in the dark half of the cycle: Quadrantids, Lyrids, Orionids, Leonids, Geminids, Ursids. The remaining 2 contend with moonlight: Eta Aquariids under a waxing gibbous, Perseids under a waning gibbous.
What are all the meteor shower dates in 2028?
| Shower | Peak date | Weekday | Radiant | Moon at peak | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | 3 January 2028 | Monday | Bootes | waxing crescent | dark sky |
| Lyrids | 22 April 2028 | Saturday | Lyra | waning crescent | dark sky |
| Eta Aquariids | 6 May 2028 | Saturday | Aquarius | waxing gibbous | moonlit |
| Perseids | 12 August 2028 | Saturday | Perseus | waning gibbous | moonlit |
| Orionids | 21 October 2028 | Saturday | Orion | waxing crescent | dark sky |
| Leonids | 17 November 2028 | Friday | Leo | new moon | dark sky |
| Geminids | 14 December 2028 | Thursday | Gemini | waning crescent | dark sky |
| Ursids | 22 December 2028 | Friday | Ursa Minor | waxing crescent | dark sky |
How do meteor shower peak dates work?
A meteor shower is the Earth ploughing through a trail of dust left by a comet or, in the case of the Geminids, an asteroid. Because the Earth returns to the same stretch of its orbit at the same time each year, the peak recurs on roughly the same calendar date. Roughly, not exactly: the orbit is not a whole number of days long, leap years nudge the calendar back into line, and the debris itself drifts. That is why published peaks move by about a day between sources and between years, and why observers are given a window rather than a moment.
The radiant is the point the meteors appear to stream from, an effect of perspective rather than a real location in space. Showers are named for the constellation holding that point, which is why the Perseids radiate from Perseus and the Geminids from Gemini. You do not need to look at the radiant to see them; meteors appear all over the sky and are often longer further from it.
Questions
- When do the Perseids peak in 2028?
- Saturday, 12 August 2028, with a waning gibbous.
- When do the Geminids peak in 2028?
- Thursday, 14 December 2028, with a waning crescent.
- How many meteor showers are there in 2028?
- 8 major annual showers, of which 6 peak under a dark moon.
- Do I need a telescope?
- No. Meteors cross too much sky too quickly for one. Dark adapted eyes and an open view work better.
Meteor showers in other years
More for 2028
Day of the year · Event countdowns · When is it? · Date calculator