Draconid Meteor Shower 2025: Last Outburst Until 2078!
Typically modest, the Draconids might break tradition in 2025 — forecasts predict a burst of 150-400 meteors per hour on October 8. Moreover, this may be the last Draconid outburst until 2078! Use the Sky Tonight app to plan your observations and set notifications so as not to miss this rare event. Continue reading to discover everything you need to know about observing the Draconids in 2025.
Contents
- Draconid meteor shower in 2025: when and where to see?
- How to find the Draconids?
- Draconids’ parent body: Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
- Draconids 2025: Conclusion
Draconid meteor shower in 2025: when and where to see?
- Meteors/hour: typically 5, but possibly up to 150-400!
- Moon illumination: 99%
- Active: October 6-10
- Peak of activity: October 8
- Radiant location: constellation Draco
- Parent body: Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
- Visible from: Northern Hemisphere
- Description: The October Draconids (often simply referred to as the Draconids) are a small meteor shower that typically produces about 5 meteors per hour at its peak, but is also known for periodic outbursts. One of such outbursts might happen in 2025!
October Draconids 2025 visibility forecast
This year’s peak of the Draconids comes with an exciting forecast: astronomers predict a short-lived outburst, most likely producing around 150 meteors per hour, though some estimates suggest as many as 400 meteors per hour. The burst is expected to last only a few hours.
Unfortunately, the Full Moon will shine in the sky at the same time, washing out all but the brighter meteors. Still, given the possibility of an outburst, it’s worth stepping outside as soon as darkness falls on October 8, especially in the evening hours before midnight, when this shower is best viewed.
Fun fact: due to gravitational perturbations from Jupiter, this may be the last major Draconid display until 2078, so don’t miss it!
Where to see the Draconids 2025?
The radiant location of the Draconids is located near the so-called Dragon’s Eyes – the stars Eltanin and Rastaban in the constellation Draco. But you don't have to look directly at the radiant – in fact, you shouldn't because the closer the meteors are to the radiant, the shorter their tails are. To observe the Draconids, just look overhead and be patient. For more meteor-viewing tips, check out our colorful infographic.
The Draconids are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, where the radiant rises to its highest point in the evening sky. It's also possible to view the meteor shower from the northern latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, but it will appear less spectacular from those locations.
How to find the Draconids?
You can easily locate the Draconids' radiant in the sky above you with the free Sky Tonight app. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Open the app and tap the magnifier icon.
- In the search bar, enter the meteor shower’s name – "October Draconids."
- Tap the blue target button next to the October Draconids’ radiant. The app will display the meteor shower's radiant position on the sky map.
- To locate the Draconids' radiant above you, tap the blue compass button or point your device at the sky. A white arrow will guide you to the radiant position. Move your device following the arrow until you spot the Draconids' radiant on the screen. The image corresponds to the actual sky at your location.
Draconids’ parent body: Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
The Draconids come from dust shed by Comet 21P/Giacobini–Zinner, which circles the Sun every 6.6 years. Each time the comet passes through the inner Solar System, it leaves a trail of debris that Earth occasionally crosses — sparking the Draconid meteor shower. While the shower is often modest, the comet’s dense dust streams have been responsible for several spectacular outbursts in the past.
In 2025, Earth is predicted to encounter one of these richer trails, raising the chance of an unusual Draconid display. But this opportunity might be the last for decades: after a close encounter with Jupiter in 2029, Giacobini-Zinner’s orbit will shift away from Earth’s path, making strong Draconid activity unlikely until at least 2078.
Here is what the name of Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner means:
- The letter P indicates a periodic (or short-period) comet – comets of this type take less than 200 years to orbit the Sun. 21P/Giacobini-Zinner has a 6.6-year orbit;
- The number 21 indicates that it's the 21st comet of this type to be discovered;
- Giacobini and Zinner are the names of the two scientists, Michel Giacobini and Ernst Zinner, who discovered the comet. Michel Giacobini visually spotted it on December 20, 1900, from the Nice Observatory in France. Notably, his name inspired the other common designation of the Draconids – the Giacobinids. Later, German astronomer Ernst Zinner rediscovered the comet on October 23, 1913.
When the comet reaches its perihelion (closest approach to the Sun), it can create a meteor storm. Around the perihelion of 21P/Giacobini-Zinner in 1933 and 1946, the observers reported seeing several thousand meteors per hour! The comet last reached perihelion on March 29, 2025, placing it and its debris closer to Earth again. That raises hopes for extra Draconid activity this October — probably an outburst of up to 150-400 meteors per hour, but almost certainly not a true storm. The comet is set to reach perihelion again in 2031**.
21P/Giacobini-Zinner isn't just famous for producing the Draconids. It's also special for coming as close to the Sun as the Earth. At its farthest point from the Sun, the comet comes just past the orbit of Jupiter. Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner has also made a great contribution to science. In 1985, it was the first comet visited by a spacecraft, the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) satellite, which passed through its plasma tail.
Now that you know about the first comet flyby, would you like to test your knowledge of other “firsts in space?” Challenge yourself with our quiz and impress your friends by sharing your results. Tip: you can retake the quiz to get the new set of questions and improve your score.
Draconids 2025: Conclusion
In 2025, the Draconids peak on October 8. Although the bright Full Moon will make viewing difficult, astronomers predict a rare outburst, with 150 meteors per hour expected and up to 400 possible. The event will be short-lived, but it could be one of the most remarkable sky shows of the year — and perhaps the last Draconid outburst until 2078. Use the Sky Tonight app to plan your viewing, and don’t miss your chance to witness this rare event!
