Choose a place to see local times, directions and conditions.
A FEW MINUTES OUTSIDE
Find out if the view comes to you.
We can calculate your local visibility ahead of time. The weather outlook follows closer to the date.
Location & data
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When it happens
Catalog peak
Global reference time: July 31, 2027 at 19:37 UTC. Your local calendar date may differ.
Catalog activity begins
Catalog activity ends
The peak is not necessarily the best time to look from your location. Horizon, darkness, Moon position and weather determine the useful observing window.
What to expect
Visibility & observing notes
Visibility depends on the radiant’s height above your horizon, darkness, moonlight and weather. The global peak is not necessarily your best local observing time.
Any listed zenithal hourly rate assumes ideal observing conditions. Your visible count can be much lower; it is not a local forecast.
IMO shower code
005-SDA
Ideal zenithal hourly rate
25
Observation method
Visual
Understand the moment
The Moon sets the background for meteors
The geometry behind Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower
Meteor showers happen as Earth encounters debris left along a comet’s or asteroid’s orbit. Small particles entering the atmosphere create the streaks we see; they are separate from the large planetary bodies in the explorer.
Compare the Moon’s illuminated fraction near the predicted shower peak. Less moonlight can help reveal faint meteors, but whether the Moon is above your local horizon matters too.
Opens . Each scene is an exact daily sample, without interpolation; it is separate from the catalog peak of 19:37 UTC.
How to read the scene: The lab does not model a debris stream, radiant, outburst or meteor count. Use the event’s source and local outlook for activity predictions and observing conditions.
More about observing meteors
A little context. A better view.
Meteor Showers: a field guide
01
The peak is a reference point
Showers are active over a range of dates. The catalog peak is a global prediction; a useful local viewing window also depends on darkness and how high the radiant is above your horizon.
02
Read meteor rates carefully
A zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) describes ideal conditions with the radiant overhead and a dark sky. Clouds, light pollution, moonlight and a low radiant can greatly reduce visible counts. A listed rate is not a promise.
03
Give the sky your attention
Find a dark location with an open view, allow about 20–30 minutes for your eyes to adjust, and look across a wide area of sky. A telescope is not necessary for visual meteor watching.
04
Some entries need specialist equipment
Daytime radio showers and provisional radiant reference dates are retained in the catalog for completeness. Their event pages explain when they are not ordinary naked-eye observing opportunities.
September Epsilon Perseids activity peaks with a listed zenithal hourly rate of 8. Actual visible rates depend on sky darkness, radiant altitude, and local weather.
September Lyncids activity peaks with a listed zenithal hourly rate of 3. Actual visible rates depend on sky darkness, radiant altitude, and local weather.
October Camelopardalids activity peaks with a listed zenithal hourly rate of 5. Actual visible rates depend on sky darkness, radiant altitude, and local weather.
Take the sky with you
From a date on a calendar to a night worth remembering.
Open the astronomy calendar in Forecast Bar to explore events alongside your local weather and astronomy alert settings.