Orionid Meteor Shower in October 2026: Where and How to See the Peak
Get ready for a dazzling celestial spectacle! The Orionids will peak on the night of October 21–22, delivering about 20 meteors per hour. Read on to discover all the details about this astronomical event and use Sky Tonight to plan the best viewing time.
Contents
- Orionids 2026: When and Where to See
- What Is the Orionid Meteor Shower?
- Orionids Viewing Tips
- Orionid Meteor Shower 2026: Conclusion
Orionids 2026: When and Where to See
- Active: October 2 – November 7
- Peak of activity: October 21–22
- Meteors/hour (ZHR)¹: 20
- Moon phase: waxing gibbous Moon
- Radiant location: Orion
- Parent body: Comet 1P/Halley
- Visible from: both hemispheres
¹Actual meteor counts depend on radiant altitude, sky darkness, and observing conditions. The meteors-per-hour rate here describes an ideal hourly rate with the radiant directly overhead.
The Orionids are a fast, elegant meteor shower produced by debris from Halley’s Comet. Their radiant climbs high after local midnight in both hemispheres (a bit earlier in the north). Activity can be spread over several nights, and some years bring enhanced meteor rates or multiple smaller peaks.
Orionid Meteor Shower Peak Time in 2026
The Orionids will reach their peak on the night of October 21–22. The meteors will be visible from around midnight through the pre-dawn hours. However, the Orionids can remain quite active for several days before and after the peak, sometimes producing bright fireballs even outside the maximum. So if the weather is poor on October 21–22, try again on another nearby morning. Step outside before sunrise, give your eyes time to adjust to the dark, and watch for meteors streaking across the sky.
To make sure you don’t miss the best observing window, set a reminder in the Sky Tonight app. Search for “Orionid peak,” then tap and hold the blue time below the matching event in the search results to create a custom notification. That way, the app can remind you exactly when it’s time to look up. For a step-by-step guide, watch this video tutorial on setting reminders.
Moon Phase During the Peak of the Orionids 2026
In 2026, the Orionids peak under a waxing gibbous Moon, which will significantly brighten the sky during the first half of the night. For the best results, wait until the pre-dawn hours, when the radiant climbs higher and the Moon sinks lower and then finally dips below the horizon. You can also try to block the Moon’s light with a building, tree, or hill.
Orionid Meteor Shower Location
The Orionids are among the few meteor showers that are well-seen from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Look for the Orionids from 45 to 90 degrees away from the radiant (in the constellation Orion). Their trails appear longer from this perspective than when you look directly at the radiant point.
To find the radiant point, use the Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight app: open one of the apps and type “Orionids” in the search field, then select the matching result, and the app will show you where the Orionids’ radiant point is located on the sky map. To see the Orionids’ radiant point right now, point your device at the sky, and the app’s image will adjust to the sky above you.
What Is the Orionid Meteor Shower?
Orionids are considered a major annual meteor shower. They are active from October 2 to November 7, producing their peak rates of meteors around October 21–22. On this day, the average number of meteors is about 20 per hour, more than any other meteor shower in October and even November produces.
Halley's Comet Meteor Shower
The Orionids are caused by ice and dust debris left by the comet 1P/Halley. 1P/Halley is a short-period comet that orbits the Sun roughly every 76 years. Next time, the comet will return to the inner Solar System in 2061.
Halley’s Comet has passed through the inner Solar System many times, leaving streams of dust and tiny particles along its orbit. Over countless returns, this debris has spread out along much of the comet’s path. Twice a year, Earth crosses different parts of this debris stream, producing the Orionids in October and the Eta Aquariids in May. When the particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, they heat up and create the bright streaks we see as “shooting stars.”
Learn more about the origin of meteor showers in our short educational video.
Meteor Shower in Orion
The radiant point of the Orionids is in the constellation Orion, north of the bright star Betelgeuse. However, Orionid meteors can appear all over the sky, flying at the speed of 66 kilometers per second. In comparison, the speed of the Perseid meteors is 59 kilometers per second. Orionid meteors aren’t the fastest, but they still rank at the top of the list.
Orionids Viewing Tips
We’ve gathered some tips to help you catch the best view of the meteors. With the right planning, the Orionids 2026 will bring you an unforgettable stargazing experience. Also, use our infographic on meteor showers as a quick reference; it has these tips in colorful illustrations.
- Find a dark place
Find a place with a dark sky, away from city lights. Bright artificial lights can hide the fainter Orionids, significantly reducing the number of visible “shooting stars.”
- Take your time
While observing the Orionids, look for prolonged explosions of light that these meteors produce in the sky. But be patient — you’ll need about 20 minutes to adapt to the dark and start to see meteors. Also, look up rather than down. Don't check your phone too often, and use night-red mode when using a stargazing app.
- Look for the meteors all over the sky
Don’t look directly at the radiant, since most meteors will be short. You can see Orionid meteors everywhere in the sky.
- Don’t use optics
Use only your eyes to watch the sky. Binoculars and telescopes narrow your field of view, making it harder to catch meteors across the sky.
- Take warm drinks and clothes
Prepare your sleeping bags, blankets, or lawn chair, fill a thermos with hot tea or coffee, and start your stargazing night. Consider this spectacular astronomy event as a perfect chance to get outdoors and spend some time away from the busy city.
Get more tips for watching meteor showers in our dedicated article and test your observing knowledge with our fun quiz on how to catch a shooting star.
Orionid Meteor Shower 2026: Conclusion
Among all the meteor showers in October, the Orionids promise one of the month’s best displays. In 2026, a bright waxing Moon will interfere around the October 21–22 peak, but better conditions should come later in the night as the Moon gets lower and the Orionid radiant climbs higher. The ideal peak rate of the Orionids is about 20 meteors per hour; actual counts are usually lower.
Use the Sky Tonight app to find the Orionid radiant in your sky, check when it is highest from your location, and set a reminder for the peak. It’s the easiest way to plan your observing session and make sure you’re looking up at the right time. Share your Orionid sightings with us on social media — we’d love to know how many “shooting stars” you catch!
