Meteor Showers in March–June 2026
Six meteor showers are active from the March Equinox to the June Solstice, including the renowned Lyrids and prolific Eta Aquariids. Use the Sky Tonight calendar to see which meteor showers peak each month, see their radiant position in your region, and set notifications not to miss their peak dates. Also, read this guide to learn more about the upcoming meteor showers.
Contents
- Meteor shower peaks in March
- Meteor shower peaks in April
- Meteor shower peaks in May
- Meteor shower peaks in June
- Tips on viewing meteor showers
- March–June meteor showers: Bottom line
Meteor shower peaks in March
March 14: Gamma Normids
- Designation: 118 GNO
- Meteors/hour: 6
- Moon illumination: 24%
- Active: February 25 – March 28
- Radiant location: Norma
- Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
- Description: The Gamma Normids (γ-Normids) are a weak meteor stream with a poorly defined activity period. Its parent body is also unknown. An IMO analysis from 1999 to 2007 showed that this meteor shower averages about 6 meteors per hour during the peak and about 3 meteors per hour during the rest of its activity period.
Visibility forecast
In 2026, skywatchers can expect good visibility for the Gamma Normids. The shower peaks under a thin crescent Moon, whose faint light won’t hinder the observations.
Meteor shower peaks in April
April 22: April Lyrids
- Designation: 006 LYR
- Meteors/hour: 18
- Moon illumination: 34%
- Active: April 14–30
- Radiant location: Lyra
- Best visible from: Northern Hemisphere
- Description: The April Lyrids is one of the long-known meteor showers that has been observed and reported annually since 687 BC. The April Lyrids’ meteors are pieces of debris from the periodic Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. The maximum number of meteors typically varies from 5 to 20 per hour, but sometimes the shower intensifies, resulting in a meteor outburst with an activity rate of up to 100 meteors per hour (as seen in 1982 or 1985). Next time it’s expected to happen in 2042 – hopefully, we’ll still be keeping you updated on the event via our site or Sky Tonight app.
Visibility forecast
According to the International Meteor Organization, the April Lyrids are expected to reach their maximum on April 22, at 19:40 GMT, although the exact timing may vary by several hours. The waxing crescent Moon will not significantly affect visibility.
April 24: Pi Puppids
- Designation: 137 PPU
- Meteors/hour: Variable
- Moon illumination: 57%
- Active: April 15–28
- Radiant location: Puppis
- Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
- Description: Discovered in 1972, the Pi Puppids (π-Puppids), associated with the comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup, have shown notable activity in 1977 and 1982, with around 40 meteors per hour detected. Also, in 1983, an activity rate of approximately 13 meteors per hour was reported. Records of 2018 and 2019 report low, but still detectable, rates.
Visibility forecast
In 2026, the First Quarter Moon will interfere with observations of the Pi Puppids — the Moon will remain in the sky until about midnight local time, while the shower is best visible in the evening. Try to block the Moon’s light by standing in the shadow of a building or tree to improve visibility.
Meteor shower peaks in May
May 6: Eta Aquariids
- Designation: 031 ETA
- Meteors/hour: 50
- Moon illumination: 71%
- Active: April 19 – May 28
- Radiant location: Aquarius
- Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
- Description: The parent comet of the Eta Aquariids (η-Aquariids) is 1P/Halley, one of the most famous comets. The pieces of space debris shed by the comet hundreds of years ago become the Eta Aquariids in May and the Orionids in October.
Visibility forecast
In 2026, the Eta Aquariids will reach their peak under the glare of a bright Moon, making observing conditions quite unfavorable. To improve the view, find a spot where the Moon is hidden behind a building, hill, or tree.
May 11: Eta Lyrids
- Designation: 145 ELY
- Meteors/hour: 3
- Moon illumination: 47%
- Active: May 5–14
- Radiant location: Lyra
- Best visible from: Northern Hemisphere
- Description: The Eta Lyrid meteor shower (η-Lyrids) is relatively weak but interesting to astronomers because of its possible relation to Comet C/1983 H1 IRAS-Araki-Alcock. The comet was last seen in 1983 and passed the Earth at a distance of 5,000,000 km, which is the closest a comet has approached in the last 200 years. Because of their low hourly rate, the Eta Lyrids are often confused with sporadic meteors (random meteors not associated with any particular meteor shower).
Visibility forecast
This year, the Eta Lyrids’ peak occurs shortly after the Last Quarter Moon, providing moderately favorable conditions for observations. Still, since the shower is faint, blocking the Moon’s light might be essential.
Meteor shower peaks in June
June 7: Daytime Arietids
- Designation: 171 ARI
- Meteors/hour: 30
- Moon illumination: 63%
- Active: May 14 – June 24
- Radiant location: Aries
- Visible from: Southern Hemisphere
- Description: Daytime Arietids are the strongest daytime meteor shower of the year. The proposed parent bodies of the stream include comets 96P/Machholz and P/1999 J6.
Visibility forecast
The Daytime Arietids are rather hard to observe because their radiant is located only about 30° west of the Sun. However, a few bright meteors may be visible shortly before dawn. In 2026, the Daytime Arietids start their activity on May 14 and reach their peak on June 7. Find out about other daytime meteor showers from the dedicated article.
Tips on viewing meteor showers
Getting ready to catch the shooting stars? Learn all you need to know about meteor showers from our infographic and check the basic tips for meteor hunters. To solidify your knowledge, take our quiz.
Also, use the Sky Tonight app to learn when and where to observe a meteor shower. Tap the calendar icon at the bottom of the screen and switch to the Meteors tab. You’ll see which meteor showers are active in the selected month (the peak dates are marked with dots). Choose a meteor shower and tap the blue target icon opposite its name. The app will show where the radiant will be at 12:00 a.m. local time. You can set the desired time using the Time Machine panel at the top of the screen. Then, point your device up and follow the white arrow to see where the radiant will be in the real night sky.
March–June meteor showers: Bottom line
Between March and June 2026, skywatchers can look forward to six meteor shower peaks. Among them, the April Lyrids offer the best viewing opportunity — their peak coincides with a 34%-illuminated Moon, so moonlight won’t significantly affect observations. Other showers face less favorable conditions this year due to bright moonlight or low activity levels.
For the best results, observe from a dark location and use the Sky Tonight app to find when each radiant is highest in your sky — that’s when you’ll see the most meteors! Also, check out our article about the most spectacular meteor showers of the year to make sure you don’t miss the best opportunities to see the shooting stars.
