Meteor showers 2029: 8 peak dates, 2 under dark skies
The 8 major annual showers peak between 3 January 2029 and 22 December 2029 in 2029. 2 of them fall when the moon is near new and the sky stays dark; the other 6 compete with moonlight.
When is the next meteor shower?
The next peak of 2029 is the Quadrantids on Wednesday, 3 January 2029, 833 days away. The moon will be a waning gibbous that night, so moonlight will wash out everything but the brightest trails. The radiant sits in Bootes, and the stream comes from asteroid 2003 EH1.
Which meteor shower is best in 2029?
Two showers dominate most years: the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December. In 2029 the Perseids peak on Sunday, 12 August 2029 with a waxing crescent, and the Geminids on Friday, 14 December 2029 with a waxing gibbous. The Perseids get the dark sky this year and the Geminids do not, so August is the better bet. The Geminids peak 8 days before the December solstice, which puts them in the longest nights of the northern year.
Will the moon spoil the 2029 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 2029, 2 of the 8 major peaks fall in the dark half of the cycle: Eta Aquariids, Perseids. The remaining 6 contend with moonlight: Quadrantids under a waning gibbous, Lyrids under a waxing gibbous, Orionids under a waxing gibbous, Leonids under a waxing gibbous, Geminids under a waxing gibbous, Ursids under a waning gibbous.
What are all the meteor shower dates in 2029?
| Shower | Peak date | Weekday | Radiant | Moon at peak | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | 3 January 2029 | Wednesday | Bootes | waning gibbous | moonlit |
| Lyrids | 22 April 2029 | Sunday | Lyra | waxing gibbous | moonlit |
| Eta Aquariids | 6 May 2029 | Sunday | Aquarius | last quarter | dark sky |
| Perseids | 12 August 2029 | Sunday | Perseus | waxing crescent | dark sky |
| Orionids | 21 October 2029 | Sunday | Orion | waxing gibbous | moonlit |
| Leonids | 17 November 2029 | Saturday | Leo | waxing gibbous | moonlit |
| Geminids | 14 December 2029 | Friday | Gemini | waxing gibbous | moonlit |
| Ursids | 22 December 2029 | Saturday | Ursa Minor | waning gibbous | moonlit |
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 2029?
- Sunday, 12 August 2029, with a waxing crescent.
- When do the Geminids peak in 2029?
- Friday, 14 December 2029, with a waxing gibbous.
- How many meteor showers are there in 2029?
- 8 major annual showers, of which 2 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 2029
Day of the year · Event countdowns · When is it? · Date calculator