When to See Shooting Stars in March 2026: Meteor Shower Calendar for March–June 2026
Eight meteor showers occur between the March Equinox and 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 showers in March 2026
- Meteor showers in April 2026
- Meteor showers in May 2026
- Meteor showers in June 2026
- Tips on viewing meteor showers
- March–June meteor showers: Bottom line
Meteor showers in March 2026
March 12: Xi Herculids
- Designation: 346 XHE
- Meteors/hour (ZHR): <2
- Moon illumination: 43%
- Peak date: March 12
- Active: March 6–20
- Radiant location: Hercules
- Best visible from: Northern Hemisphere
Here and later in the article, “meteors per hour” refers to the theoretical maximum of meteors that can be seen under ideal viewing conditions, astronomically called ZHR (Zenithal Hourly Rate).
The Xi Herculids (XHE) are a poorly studied meteor shower that typically lasts only a few nights and produces just a handful of meteors. The Xi Herculids were first identified from video-meteor network data in 2009. Astronomers know that they appear to originate from a radiant in Hercules and enter the atmosphere at about 35 km/s, but many details remain uncertain.
Visibility forecast
In 2026, the Xi Herculids peak around March 12. The Moon is near Last Quarter, so moonlight will reduce the number of visible meteors. You may only be able to spot a few before midnight when the Moon hasn’t risen yet.
March 14: Gamma Normids
- Designation: 118 GNO
- Meteors/hour: 6
- Moon illumination: 24%
- Peak date: March 14
- Active: February 25 – March 28
- Radiant location: Norma
- Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
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.
March 18: Eta Virginids
- Designation: 011 EVI
- Meteors/hour: <2
- Moon illumination: 1% (near New Moon)
- Peak date: March 18
- Active: March 8–25
- Radiant location: Virgo
- Best visible from: Both hemispheres
The Eta Virginids are a weak meteor shower, but they may still be worth watching: they’re poor in faint meteors yet can produce occasional bright fireballs. The recent analysis using the European Fireball Network suggests the stream has a ~4-year activity cycle and meteoroids with Geminids-like physical properties, suggesting a possible asteroidal (carbonaceous) origin. In that analysis, more fireballs of the Eta Virginids were recorded in 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2025, suggesting high activity in 2026 and again around 2029–2030.
Visibility forecast
In 2026, the Eta Virginids are expected to peak near the New Moon, so the sky will be nice and dark – ideal for catching any brighter meteors. If the meteor shower’s reported ~4-year activity cycle holds, there may be a better-than-usual chance of an occasional bright fireball this year. Still, the Eta Virginids remain a weak shower, so treat it as a bonus while observing other March celestial events. For the best chance, watch after midnight through pre-dawn when Virgo is higher, and keep a wide view of the sky.
Meteor showers in April 2026
April 22: April Lyrids
- Designation: 006 LYR
- Meteors/hour: 18
- Moon illumination: 34%
- Peak date: April 22
- Active: April 14–30
- Radiant location: Lyra
- Best visible from: Northern Hemisphere
The April Lyrids are 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%
- Peak date: April 24
- Active: April 15–28
- Radiant location: Puppis
- Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
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 showers in May 2026
May 6: Eta Aquariids
- Designation: 031 ETA
- Meteors/hour: 50
- Moon illumination: 71%
- Peak date: May 6
- Active: April 19 – May 28
- Radiant location: Aquarius
- Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
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 centuries ago forms a meteoroid stream that Earth encounters as 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 10: Eta Lyrids
- Designation: 145 ELY
- Meteors/hour: 3
- Moon illumination: 47%
- Peak date: May 10
- Active: May 5–14
- Radiant location: Lyra
- Best visible from: Northern Hemisphere
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 during 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 showers in June 2026
June 7: Daytime Arietids
- Designation: 171 ARI
- Meteors/hour: 30
- Moon illumination: 63%
- Peak date: June 7
- Active: May 14 – June 24
- Radiant location: Aries
- Visible from: Both hemispheres
The 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 catch eight meteor shower peaks. The April Lyrids offer the best viewing opportunity of the season – 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.
