Plan your next session around meteor showers and moon phases.
Fast-moving meteors created by debris from Halley's Comet. The Orionids are one of October's best-known meteor showers.
Find a dark location and look up in the hours before dawn. Moonlight may hide fainter meteors this year.
A slower meteor shower known for occasionally producing impressive bright fireballs.
Watch from a dark, open area. Be patient: this shower produces fewer meteors than the major annual showers.
The Moon reaches its new phase, creating an excellent opportunity to plan a dark-sky observing trip.
Choose a low-Bortle location and check cloud cover. New Moon does not guarantee clear skies.
A meteor shower associated with Comet Tempel-Tuttle, famous for spectacular displays in certain years.
Look after midnight toward the predawn hours. A wide view of the sky works better than a telescope.
A moonless observing opportunity in U.S. time zones. The astronomical new Moon occurs on December 9 in UTC.
An excellent time to plan a Milky Way, deep-sky, or general stargazing outing, weather permitting.
One of the strongest annual meteor showers, often producing bright, colorful meteors.
The Geminids can be productive before midnight. Dress warmly and allow your eyes to adjust to darkness.
A smaller Northern Hemisphere meteor shower occurring near the December solstice.
The bright Moon may interfere with the 2026 peak. Try observing after moonset if conditions allow.
A potentially strong meteor shower with a relatively short peak and occasional bright fireballs.
The peak is brief and timing varies by location. Check the latest observing forecast before heading out.
Check cloud cover, moonlight and darkness at spots near you before heading out.
Event dates are based on published astronomical predictions. Actual visibility depends on location, weather and moonlight.