Aurigids 2026: The First Meteor Shower in September
The Aurigids are a lesser-known meteor shower, usually modest but sometimes capable of pleasant surprises. Unfortunately, in 2026, observation conditions for the Aurigids will be unfavorable due to a bright waning gibbous Moon. Still, if you’re up for catching a few brighter shooting stars, it’s worth a try — and the Sky Tonight app can help you pick the darkest viewing window for your location.
Contents
- Aurigids 2026: When and where to see
- What do we know about the Aurigids?
- What is a meteor shower?
- The Aurigids 2026: To sum up
Aurigids 2026: When and where to see
- Active: August 28 – September 5
- Peak of activity: August 31 – September 1
- Meteors/hour: 6
- Moon illumination: about 80% at maximum
- Radiant location: Auriga
- Parent body: Comet C/1911 N1 (Kiess)
- Best visible from: Northern Hemisphere
The Aurigids are a weak meteor shower that usually brings just a handful of meteors per hour. On rare occasions, they produce short outbursts — but most years offer a quiet, subtle display.
Aurigids 2026: Visibility forecast
In 2026, the Aurigids reach their maximum about four days after the Full Moon, so only the brightest meteors will be visible under the brightly lit skies. To improve your chances of seeing shooting stars, try to position yourself so that the Moon is blocked by a tree or building.
When to watch the Aurigids 2026
This year, the Aurigids are active from August 28 to September 5 and reach their maximum on the night of August 31 — September 1. A couple of other meteor showers also take place in September — check out our dedicated article to learn what else to expect from this month.
How many meteors to expect
In 2026, the Aurigids are expected to produce up to 6 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions. However, the bright Moon during the shower’s peak will significantly reduce the number of meteors you can actually see.
Where to look for Aurigids
The radiant point of the Aurigid meteor shower is located in the constellation Auriga, which rises in the northeast. The higher the radiant is in the sky, the more meteors you're likely to see. The radiant elevation will vary depending on your location.
View from the Northern Hemisphere
The Aurigids are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, where their radiant rises earlier at night and climbs higher. Start your observations after 01:00 a.m. local time.
View from the Southern Hemisphere
In the Southern Hemisphere, the radiant rises early in the morning, at about 3-4 a.m., and stays close to the horizon. You’ll only have about a couple of hours of viewing time before sunrise.
You can get more tips on watching shooting stars from our dedicated article. For a quick and handy visual guide, explore our meteor shower infographic.
What do we know about the Aurigids?
The Aurigids, historically also called the Alpha Aurigids, are a minor annual meteor shower identified by C. Hoffmeister and A. Teichgraeber in 1935. Its radiant is placed in the constellation Auriga, near Theta Aurigae (Mahasim); the meteor shower’s parent body is the comet C/1911 N1 Kiess.
Occasional outbursts
The Aurigids were identified after a brief outburst on the night of August 31–September 1, 1935, when observers reported unusually high activity and numerous bright meteors. Other short-lived outbursts have since been recorded in several years, including 1986, 1994, 2007, and 2019.
The 2007 outburst was especially well observed, with a peak ZHR exceeding 100. It occurred when Earth encountered a dense dust trail left by comet C/1911 N1 (Kiess). In a report published shortly afterward, the European Space Agency estimated that Earth would not cross the same trail in a comparable way for roughly seven decades after the 2007 encounter. Because Aurigid outbursts are brief and observational coverage has not always been complete, some may have gone unnoticed.
Why are Aurigid outbursts rare?
The Aurigids return every year, usually producing a ZHR of about 6. What makes this shower unusual are its rare, short-lived outbursts, which occur when Earth encounters a particularly dense dust trail left by the parent comet.
Meteor shower activity depends on how debris from a comet or another parent body is distributed along its orbit. As a comet approaches the Sun, it releases dust and small particles. Over time, this debris spreads along the comet’s path, forming a meteoroid stream. Each year, when Earth passes through such a stream, some of the particles enter our atmosphere and produce meteors. Many familiar annual showers are associated with short-period comets, which return to the inner Solar System and replenish their streams relatively frequently.
The Aurigids, however, originate from the long-period comet C/1911 N1 (Kiess), which takes about 2,000 years to complete one orbit around the Sun. Its older, dispersed debris produces the weak annual Aurigid shower, while denser dust trails remain relatively narrow. Earth encounters these concentrated trails only occasionally, causing a brief but dramatic increase in meteor activity. In most years, the planet passes through more diffuse parts of the stream, so the Aurigids remain far less active than showers such as the Perseids or Orionids.
The observation campaign
In 2007, NASA Ames Research Center and SETI Institute organized an airborne observation campaign called the Aurigids Multi-instrument Aircraft Campaign (Aurigids MAC). This campaign was a collaboration of 24 scientists from different countries and lasted from August 30 to September 2.
Visual, triangulation, and spectroscopic observation methods were used in this campaign. The airborne campaign successfully recorded the outburst, and a later analysis of visual observations found a peak ZHR of 132 ± 26. Radio observations in North America and Scandinavia registered counts numbering in the hundreds.
What is a meteor shower?
The phenomenon we call a meteor shower occurs when the Earth’s orbit passes through the debris or dust grains left by a space object, typically a comet. Debris particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and rapidly ablate, producing streaks of light. Meteor showers provide a spectacular view for observers from the Earth and give astronomers a perfect opportunity to collect information about a particular comet.
To observe a meteor shower properly, you need to know:
- its activity period and peak night,
- location of its radiant (a point in the sky from which meteors seem to appear),
- ZHR (the expected number of meteors per hour),
- and the Moon phase (strong moonlight can wash out meteors, so it’s best to plan your observations around the New Moon or after the moonset).
We've detailed all this information in our article, but if you prefer having it readily accessible on your device, download the Sky Tonight app. It features a comprehensive list of meteor showers, including their activity periods and peak dates, along with a lunar calendar and an interactive sky map which can help you find the radiant in the sky from your location.
The Aurigids 2026: To sum up
In 2026, the Aurigids peak on the night of August 31–September 1. This year, the Moon will be shining strongly during the peak, so only the brightest meteors are likely to be visible. If you decide to observe, find a dark spot, look well away from the Moon, and watch in the late night or pre-dawn hours when the radiant is higher. Use Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight to pick the best observation time for your location and get up-to-date information about other astronomical events. Also, check how good you are at watching shooting stars by passing the quiz!
Wishing you clear skies and happy observations!
