2024 Meteor Shower List

Visit the Meteor Shower Calendar

The 2023 Meteor Shower List is presented in four separate parts. The showers are broken down by intensity with major, minor, variable, and weak showers being separated into their own groups. The general public is encouraged to use the list of major showers as they are the most well known and provide the most activity on a year to year basis. The other showers rarely surpass ten meteors per hour at maximum and are difficult to observe by the general public.


 

                                                     2024 Major Meteor Showers (Class I)

Shower Activity Period Maximum Radiant Velocity r Max. Time Moon
Date S. L. R.A. Dec. km/s ZHR
Quadrantids (QUA) Dec 26-Jan 16 Jan 04 283.3° 15:20 +49.7° 40.2 2.1 120 0500 23
Lyrids (LYR) Apr 15-Apr 29 Apr 22 032.4° 18:10 +33.3° 46.8 2.1 18 0400 14
eta Aquarids (ETA) Apr 15-May 27 May 05 046.2° 22:30 -01.1° 65.5 2.4 60 0400 26
Southern delta Aquarids (SDA) Jul 18-Aug 21 Jul 30 127.6° 22:42 -16.3° 40.3 3.2 20 0300 25
Perseids (PER) Jul 14-Sep 01 Aug 12 140.0° 03:13 +58.0° 58.8 2.6 100 0400 07
Orionids (ORI) Sep 26-Nov 22 Oct 20 207.5° 06:21 +15.6° 66.1 2.5 23 0500 17
Leonids (LEO) Nov 03-Dec 02 Nov 18 236.0° 10:17 +21.6° 70.0 2.5 15 0500 18
Geminids (GEM) Nov 19-Dec 24 Dec 13 262°0 07:34 +32.3° 33.8 2.6 120 0100 12
Ursids (URS) Dec 13-Dec 24 Dec 22 270°5 14:36 +75.3° 33.0 3.0 10 0500 22

Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization and Masahiro Koseki.

The meteor showers listed above are the easiest to observe and provide the most activity. Particular attention should be noted to the time and moonlight conditions. All these showers are best seen after midnight. Some are not even visible until after midnight. Showers that peak with the moon’s age between 10 and 20 days will be affected by moonlight and difficult to observe this year. While the time each shower is best seen remains much the same year after year, the moonlight conditions change considerably from one year to the next. The time listed is not necessarily the peak time, but the time in which the radiant is best positioned in the sky. We will post upcoming details of each major shower that is free from moonlight well in advance of their peak activity.


 

                                                   2024 Minor Meteor Showers (Class II)

Shower Activity Period Maximum Radiant Velocity r Max. Time Moon
Date S. L. R.A. Dec. km/s ZHR
Anthelion Source (ANT) Dec 17-Sep 22 30.0 3.0 3 0100
alpha Centaurids (ACE) Feb 03-Feb 20 Feb 09 319°4 14:04 -58.2° 59.3 2.0 6 0500 00
eta Lyrids (ELY) May 06-May 15 May 10 049.6° 19:22 +43.5° 43.9 3.0 3 0400 02
July Pegasids (JPE) Jul 04-Aug 08  Jul 10 108.4° 23:11 +10.8° 64.1 3.0 5 0400 05
alpha Capricornids (CAP) Jul 07-Aug 15 Jul 31 128° 20:26 -09.1° 22.0 2.5 4 0100 26
kappa Cygnids (KCG) Aug 01-Aug 27 Aug 13 141° 19:05 +50.2° 22.2 3.0 3 2300 08
Aurigids (AUR) Aug 26-Sep 04 Aug 31 158°5 06:04 +39.2° 65.4 2.6 6 0400 27
September epsilon Perseids (SPE) Sep 02-Sep 23 Sep 09 167° 03:10 +39.5° 64.2 2.9 5 0500 06
Southern Taurids (STA) Sep 23-Dec 08 Oct 18  205° 02:35 +14.5° 27.7 2.3 5 0000 15
epsilon Geminids (EGE) Sep 27-Nov 08 Oct 18 205.5° 06:45 +28.2° 68.5 3.0 2 0400 15
Leonis Minorids (LMI) Oct 13-Nov 03 Oct 21 208° 10:35 +37.2° 61.4 2.7 2 0500 18
Southern Taurids (STA) Oct 11-Dec 08 Nov 05 223° 03:35 +14.4° 27.7 2.3 5 0000 04
Northern Taurids (NTA) Oct 13-Dec 02 Nov 12 230° 03:55 +22.8° 27.6 2.3 5 0000 11
November Orionids (NOO) Nov 13-Dec 12 Nov 30 248° 06:06 +15.4° 42.3 2.3 3 0400 00
sigma Hydrids (HYD) Nov 22-Jan 04 Dec 06 255° 08:17 +02.9° 58.8 2.3 3 0300 06
Puppid/Velids (PUP) Dec 01-Dec 15 Dec 06 255° 08:12 -45.0° 40.0 2.7 10 0400 06
Monocerotids (MON) Nov 23-Dec 24 Dec 10 259° 06:44 +08.2° 41.0 2.3 2 0100 09
Coma Berenicids (COM) Dec 05-Feb 04 Dec 15 264° 10:32 +30.0° 64.0 3.0 5 0500 15

 

Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization and Masahiro Koseki.

The meteor showers listed above range from 2 to 10 shower members per hour at maximum activity. These meteors can be detected by experienced observers but novice observers and the general public will have difficultly distinguishing these meteors from the major showers or sporadic (random) meteors.


                                                2024 Variable Meteor Showers (Class III)

Shower Activity Period Maximum Radiant Velocity r Max. Time Moon
Date S. L. R.A. Dec. km/s ZHR
pi Puppids (PPU) Apr 16-Apr 30 Apr 23 033°.6 07:22 -45.1° 15 2.0 var 1900 15
tau Herculids (TAH) May 19- Jun 14 Jun 02 072°.0 15:14 +39.8° 15 2.2 var 2200 25
June Bootids (JBO) Jun 25- Jun 29 Jun 27 096°.3 14:48 +47.9° 14.1 2.2 var 2100 21
beta Hydusids (BHY) Aug 15-Aug 19 Aug 16 143°.8 02:25 -74.5° 23 2.6 var 0500 11
Draconids (GIA) Oct 08-Oct 09 Oct 08 195°.0 17:32 +55°.7 20.7 2.6 var 1800 06
alpha Monocerotids (AMO) Nov 13-Nov 27 Nov 22 239°9 07:50 +00.7° 61.6 2.4 var 0300 22
Dec Phoenicids (PHO) Dec 04-Dec 06 Dec 05 253°0 01:02 -44.7° 11.7 2.8 var 2000 05
Volantids (VOL) Dec 27-Jan 04 Dec 30 279°197 08:02 -72° 28.4 2.8 var 0100 00

Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization.


The meteor showers listed above produce strong activity on rare occasions. Most of the time only a few scattered remnants of these showers are observed with rates of one shower member per NIGHT. Note that most of these showers are best seen during the evening hours, a situation quite opposite most meteor showers.


 

                                                    2024 Weak Meteor Showers (Class IV)

Shower Activity Period Maximum Radiant Velocity Max. Time Moon
Date S. L. R.A. Dec. km/s ZHR
January Leonids (JLE) Dec 27-Jan 07 Jan 03 282.2° 09:50 +23.9° 52.0 <2 0300 22
alpha Hydrids (AHY) Dec 15-Jan 22 Jan 06 285.0° 08:32 -08.4° 43.3 <2 0300 25
omicron Leonids (OLE) Dec 20-Jan 22 Jan 10 289.315° 09:11 +09.6° 41.7 <2 0500 29
xi Coronae Borealids (XCB) Jan 09-Jan 20 Jan 16 295.0° 16:40 +30.0° 45.5 <2 0500 06
gamma Ursae Minorids (GUM) Jan 09-Jan 20 Jan 18 298.0° 15:13 +69.2° 28.8 <2 0500 08
January xi Ursae Majorids (XUM) Jan 14-Jan 21 Jan 19 299.5° 11:20 +32.4° 40.9 <2 0300 09
eta Corvids (ECV) Jan 07-Feb 05 Jan 21 301.0° 12:42 -17.7° 67.6 <2 0500 11
Alpha Coronae Borealids (ACB) Jan 26-Feb 05 Jan 28 307.4° 15:24 +28.1° 56.5 <2 0500 18
alpha Antliids (AAN) Jan 22-Feb 06 Feb 02 313.1° 10:33 -09.9° 44.3 <2 0100 22
theta Centaurid Complex (TCE) Feb 02-Feb 06 Feb 03 314.0° 13:16 -42.0° 60.2 <2 0500 23
pi Hydrids (PIH) Feb 03-Feb 09 Feb 06 317.0° 14:00 -21.0° 55.3 <2 0400 26
gamma Crucids (GCR) Feb 11-Feb 15 Feb 14 325.0° 12:48 -56.0° 55.8 <2 0400 05
xi Herculids (XHE) Mar 06-Mar 20 Mar 11 351.3° 16:58 +48.6° 35.4 <2 0400 01
delta Mensids (DME) Mar 02-Mar 26 Mar 12 352.0° 04:09 -74.4° 30.9 <2 0500 02
beta Tucanids (BTU) Mar 02-Mar 26 Mar 12 352.33° 04:07 -77.0° 31.0 <2 0500 02
delta Pavonids (DPA) Mar 21-Apr 06 Mar 30 010.4° 20:32 -63.0° 58.0 <2 0500 20
April epsilon Delphinids (AED) Mar 31-Apr 20 Apr 09 019.5° 20:30 +11.5° 60.5 <2 0400 01
kappa Serpentids (KSE) Apr 11-Apr 22 Apr 15 026.0° 16:30 +17.9° 45.6 <2 0400 07
alpha Virginids (AVB) Apr 06-May 01 Apr 17 028.0° 13:26 +03.9° 19.3 <2 0100 09
h-Virginids (HVI) Apr 24-May 04 May 01 041.0° 13:35 -11.4° 17.6 <2 0400 22
Daytime Arietids (ARI) May 29-Jun 17 Jun 04 073.8° 02:46 +23.7° 40.5 <2 0400 27
June Iota Pegasids (JIP) Jun 25-Jun 27 Jun 25 093.8° 22:06 +29.3° 58.6 <2 0400 19
phi Piscids (PPS) Jun 13-Jul 05 Jun 25 094.0° 00:40 +21.4° 66.5 <2 0400 19
Microscopiids (MIC) Jun 25-Jul 16 Jul 05 104.0° 21:13 -27.0° 39.7 <2 0400 00
July chi Arietids (JXA) Jun 26-Jul 22 Jul 07 105.5° 02:11 +07.8° 68.4 <2 0400 02
phi Piscids (PPS) Jul 02-Jul 22 Jul 11 108.0° 01:23 +27.9° 66.5 <2 0400 06
c-Andromedids (CAN) Jun 21-Jul 28 Jul 12 110.0° 02:10 +48.3° 56.9 <2 0400 07
Northern June Aquilids (NZC) Jun 26-Jul 22 Jul 15 113.0° 21:18 -02.4° 37.7 <2 0200 10
zeta Cassiopeiids (ZCS) Jul 07-Jul 22 Jul 15 113.5° 00:30 +50.9° 57.2 <2 0400 10
July gamma Draconids (GDR) Jul 23-Aug 03 Jul 28 125.3° 18:42 +50.6° 27.3 <2 2200 23
Eta Eridanids (ERI) Jul 10-Sep 10 Aug 06 134.0° 02:44 -13.0° 63.9 <2 0400 02
Piscis Austrinids (PAU) Aug 01-Aug 10 Aug 07 135.0° 23:53 -20.2° 43.0 <2 0300 03
Northern delta Aquariids (NDA) Aug 02-Aug 17 Aug 12 139.5° 23:02 +00.9 39.1 <2 0300 07
August xi Draconids (AXD) Aug 04-Aug 28 Aug 14 142.0° 18:26 +53.6° 20.3 <2 2100 09
beta Hydusids (BHY) Aug 15-Aug 19 Aug 16 143.8° 02:25 -74.5° 22.8 <2 2100 11
August beta Piscids (BPI) Aug 17-Sep 08 Aug 20 148.0° 23:30 +04.4° 38.2 <2 2100 15
zeta Draconids (AUD) Aug 12-Sep 05 Aug 26 153.0° 17:16 +62.8° 21.3 <2 2100 22
August Gamma Cepheids (AGC) Aug 17-Sep 06 Aug 28 155.6° 23:57 +76.9° 43.8 <2 0200 24
Nu Eridanids (NUE) Aug 31-Sep 21 Sep 10 168.0° 04:33 +00.7° 65.7 <2 0500 07
September Lyncids (SLY) Aug 30-Sep 20 Sep 10 168.0° 07:15 +55.8° 59.3 <2 0500 07
chi Cygnids (CCY) Sep 08-Sep 17 Sep 13 170.8° 20:00 +31.0° 19.0 <2 2100 10
Daytime Sextantids (DSX) Sep 22-Oct 13 Oct 02 190.0° 10:27 -03.3° 32.1 <2 0500 00
October Camelopardalids (OCT) Oct 05-Oct 07 Oct 05 192.7° 11:09 +78.6° 45.4 <2 0500 03
A Carinids (CRN) Oct 13-Oct 14 Oct 13 200.883° 06:27 -54.3° 32.4 <2 0500 10
October Ursae Majorids (OCU) Oct 10-Oct 20 Oct 15 202.5° 09:41 +64.2° 55.3 <2 0500 12
tau Cancrids (TCA) Sep 23-Nov 12 Oct 20 208.0° 09:13 +29.6° 67.1 <2 0500 17
October zeta Perseids (OZP) Oct 25-Oct 25 Oct 24 211.36° 03:53 +33.7° 48.1 <2 0500 21
lambda Ursae Majorids (LUM) Oct 18-Nov 07 Oct 28 214.8° 10:32 +49.4° 60.8 <2 0500 26
Southern lambda Draconids (SLD) Oct 29-Nov 08 Nov 03 221.5° 10:46 +68.2° 48.5 <2 1900 02
chi Taurids (CTA) Oct 24-Nov 13 Nov 04 222.0° 04:16 +27.2° 40.1 <2 0300 03
kappa Ursae Majorids (KUM) Oct 28-Nov 17 Nov 05 223.0° 09:37 +45.6° 64.7 <2 0500 04
Andromedids (AND) Oct 24-Dec 02 Nov 06 224.0° 01:23 +28.0° 18.1 <2 2200 05
Omicron Eridanids (OER) Oct 23-Dec 02 Nov 13 231.0° 03:54 -01.0° 27.7 <2 0100 12
Nov. sigma Ursae Majorids (NSU) Nov 17-Dec 02 Nov 24 242.0° 09:56 +59.0° 54.5 <2 2000 24
theta Pyxidids (TPY) Nov 28-Dec 06 Dec 01 249.4° 09:15 -25.6° 59.7 <2 2000 01
Southern chi Orionids (ORS) Nov 14-Dec 16 Dec 02 250.0° 05:20 +18.1° 26.5 <2 2000 02
December Kappa Draconids (DKD) Nov 29-Dec 13 Dec 02 250.9° 12:24 +70.7° 43.4 <2 0500 02
psi Ursa Majorids (PSU) Nov 29-Dec 11 Dec 04 252.0° 12:15 +43.9° 60.8 <2 0500 04
December phi Cassiopeiids (DPC) Nov 28-Dec 10 Dec 04 252.0° 01:18 +57.7° 16.5 <2 2000 04
December rho Virginids (DRV) Nov 29-Dec 22 Dec 05 253.4° 12:22 +12.9° 68.2 <2 2000 05
December chi Virginids (XVI) Nov 26-Dec 30 Dec 11 260.0° 12:38 -09.3° 68.2 <2 0500 10
eta Hydrids (EHY) Nov 26-Jan 01 Dec 11 260.0° 09:02 +01.8° 61.8 <2 0500 10
theta Pyxidids (TPY) Dec 08-Jan 08 Dec 18 266.6° 10:17 -24.4° 62.5 <2 2000 18
December sigma Virginids (DSV) Nov 26-Jan 24 Dec 21 270.0° 13:49 +04.6° 66.1 <2 0500 21
c Velids (CVE) Dec 26-Dec 31 Dec 28 277.0° 09:20 -54.0° 39.0 <2 0200 28

Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization and Masahiro Koseki.


The meteor showers listed above rarely produce an average of more than two shower members per hour. In some cases these showers have been recently discovered by video means, being too weak for visual observers to pick out from the sporadic background. This list is being provided for the experienced observer in order to follow the activity of these weak showers. Good luck with your observations in 2024!


Explanation of the 2024 Meteor Shower Calendar

Shower: named for the constellation or closest star within a constellation where the radiant is located at maximum activity.

Activity Period: the dates when the shower is active and the observer can expect activity from this source.

Maximum: the date on which the maximum activity is expected to occur.

S.L.: the equivalent solar longitude of the date of maximum activity. Solar longitude is measured in degrees (0-359) with 0 occurring at the exact moment of the spring equinox, 90 at the summer solstice, 180 at the autumnal equinox, and 270 at the winter solstice. Scientists use this time measurement as it is independent of the calendar and its leap years.

Radiant: the area in the sky where shower meteors seem to appear from. This position is given in right ascension (celestial longitude) and declination (celestial latitude). The radiant must be near or above the horizon in order to witness activity from a particular shower.

Velocity: the velocity at which shower meteors strike the Earth’s atmosphere. The velocity depends on the angle meteoroids (meteors in space) intersect the Earth. Meteoroids orbiting in the opposite direction of the Earth and striking the atmosphere head-on are much faster than those orbiting in the same direction as the Earth. This velocity is measured in kilometers per second.

r: The Population Index, An estimate of the ratio of the number of meteors in subsequent magnitude classes. Simply stated: the lower the “r” value, the resulting overall mean magnitude of each shower will be brighter. “r” usually ranges from 2.0 (bright) to 3.5 (faint).

ZHR: Zenith Hourly Rate, the average maximum number of shower meteors visible per hour if the radiant is located exactly overhead and the limiting magnitude equals +6.5 (a very dark sky). Actual counts rarely reach this figure as the zenith angle of the radiant is usually less and the limiting magnitude is usually lower than +6.5. ZHR is a useful tool when comparing the actual observed rates between individual observers as it sets observing conditions for all to the same standards.

Time: this is the time of night when meteors from each shower are best seen. Quite often the radiant will culminate after sunrise therefore the last dark hour before dawn will be listed. Daylight Saving Time (Summer Time) is used from March through October. These figures are also highly dependent on the latitude of the observer. The time listed is most precise for mid-northern latitudes.

Moon: the age of the moon in days where 0 is new, 7 is first quarter, 15 is full, and 22 is last quarter. Meteor activity is best seen in the absence of moonlight so showers reaching maximum activity when the moon is less than 10 days old or more than 25 are much more favorably observed than those situated closer to the full moon.

Class: A scale developed by Robert Lunsford to group meteor showers by their intensity:

  • Class I: the strongest annual showers with ZHR’s normally ten or better.
  • Class II: reliable minor showers with ZHR’s normally two to ten.
  • Class III: showers that do not provide annual activity. These showers are rarely active yet have the potential to produce a major display on occasion.
  • Class IV: weak minor showers with ZHR’s rarely exceeding two. The study of these showers is best left to experienced observers who use plotting and angular velocity estimates to determine shower association. These showers are also good targets for video and photographic work. Observers with less experience are urged to limit their shower associations to showers with a rating of I to III.