Meteor showers 2033: 8 peak dates, 6 under dark skies
The 8 major annual showers peak between 3 January 2033 and 22 December 2033 in 2033. 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 2033 is the Quadrantids on Monday, 3 January 2033, 2,294 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 2033?
Two showers dominate most years: the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December. In 2033 the Perseids peak on Friday, 12 August 2033 with a waning gibbous, and the Geminids on Wednesday, 14 December 2033 with a last quarter. Neither gets a dark sky in ${year}, so both will be reduced to their brighter meteors. 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 2033 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 2033, 6 of the 8 major peaks fall in the dark half of the cycle: Quadrantids, Lyrids, Eta Aquariids, Orionids, Leonids, Ursids. The remaining 2 contend with moonlight: Perseids under a waning gibbous, Geminids under a last quarter.
What are all the meteor shower dates in 2033?
| Shower | Peak date | Weekday | Radiant | Moon at peak | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | 3 January 2033 | Monday | Bootes | waxing crescent | dark sky |
| Lyrids | 22 April 2033 | Friday | Lyra | last quarter | dark sky |
| Eta Aquariids | 6 May 2033 | Friday | Aquarius | first quarter | dark sky |
| Perseids | 12 August 2033 | Friday | Perseus | waning gibbous | moonlit |
| Orionids | 21 October 2033 | Friday | Orion | waning crescent | dark sky |
| Leonids | 17 November 2033 | Thursday | Leo | waning crescent | dark sky |
| Geminids | 14 December 2033 | Wednesday | Gemini | last quarter | moonlit |
| Ursids | 22 December 2033 | Thursday | Ursa Minor | new moon | 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 2033?
- Friday, 12 August 2033, with a waning gibbous.
- When do the Geminids peak in 2033?
- Wednesday, 14 December 2033, with a last quarter.
- How many meteor showers are there in 2033?
- 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 2033
Day of the year · Event countdowns · When is it? · Date calculator