Draconids 2026: the moon at peak

Oct 8, 2026, 16:12 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

4% Excellent — the moon is essentially out of the way.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Oct 8, 2026, 16:12 UTC

Illumination

Waning crescent

Peak rate (ZHR)

~10/hour

Radiant

Draco

Active period

Oct 6 – Oct 10

Peak night by city

For each city: the local time of the peak, and how much of that night is both astronomically dark and free of moonlight.

City	Peak (local time)	Astronomical darkness	Moon-free darkness	Moonrise	Moonset	Rating
Seoul	Fri, Oct 9 01:12	9.6 h	9.3 h	04:52 (+1)	16:43	Good
Tokyo	Fri, Oct 9 01:12	9.6 h	9.3 h	03:59 (+1)	15:50	Good
New York	Thu, Oct 8 12:12	9.5 h	9.5 h	05:53 (+1)	17:21	Good
Los Angeles	Thu, Oct 8 09:12	9.6 h	9.0 h	04:52 (+1)	16:53	Good
London	Thu, Oct 8 17:12	9.2 h	9.2 h	05:46 (+1)	17:23	Good
Madrid	Thu, Oct 8 18:12	9.5 h	9.5 h	06:59 (+1)	18:35	Good
Sydney	Fri, Oct 9 03:12	8.5 h	8.5 h	05:17 (+1)	16:38	Good
São Paulo	Thu, Oct 8 13:12	9.0 h	9.0 h	04:46 (+1)	16:25	Good

Why the moon decides a meteor shower

Meteor rates quoted as ZHR assume a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead. Real counts fall off fast with sky brightness, and the moon is the one source of sky brightness that is completely predictable years ahead. A full moon near the peak can cut visible meteors by three quarters even under a cloudless sky. That is why the useful question is not “when is the peak” but “where is the moon at the peak” — which is what this page computes.

Other years

Other meteor showers

Get tonight’s answer on your phone

Stargaze Tonight rates tonight’s observing conditions where you are, shows an hour-by-hour darkness strip, and tells you what is actually worth looking at. Free, ad-supported, no subscription.

Download on the App Store

Free with ads. No subscription, no locked features. Requires iPhone with iOS 17 or later.