ORIONIDS · 2026
2026 Orionid meteor shower
Once the 74% lit Moon sets around 2:30 AM, the best view comes around 5:00 AM, when the radiant stands 65° up in the south.
- Peak
- Oct 21–23, 2026
- Best time
- night of Oct 20 → 5:00 AM on Oct 21
- Radiant
- 65° up in the south · northern Orion
- Moonlight
- No moonlight · the 74% lit Moon sets around 2:30 AM
- Up to
- about 20 an hour (ZHR, ideal sky)
- Active
- Oct 2 – Nov 7
- Parent body
- Comet Halley (1P)
- Meteor speed
- about 66 km/s
The best night around the peak
From 6 PM on Oct 20 to 6 AM the next morning, for New York.
- Radiant height
- Moon up (darker = brighter Moon)
- Twilight or day (sky not dark)
- Best time
Hour by hour
| Time | Radiant | Moon | Viewing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 PM | below the horizon | up · 73% | 0 |
| 11:00 PM | east 7° | up · 73% | 6 |
| 12:00 AM | east 18° | up · 73% | 15 |
| 1:00 AM | east 30° | up · 74% | 24 |
| 2:00 AM | east 41° | up · 74% | 32 |
| 3:00 AM | southeast 51° | none | 78 |
| 4:00 AM | southeast 60° | none | 87 |
| 5:00 AMBest | south 65° | none | 91 |
Viewing is this page’s comparison score: radiant height (its sine) times a moonlight factor. It is not a meteor count, and clouds, light pollution and terrain are not included.