Draconids 2028: the moon at peak

Oct 8, 2028, 03:52 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

82% Poor — a bright moon washes out all but the brightest meteors.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Oct 8, 2028, 03:52 UTC

Illumination

82%

Waning gibbous

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	Sun, Oct 8 12:52	9.6 h	0.9 h	20:27	11:49 (+1)	Poor
Tokyo	Sun, Oct 8 12:52	9.6 h	1.0 h	19:41	10:50 (+1)	Poor
New York	Sat, Oct 7 23:52	9.5 h	0.4 h	20:20	11:59 (+1)	Poor
Los Angeles	Sat, Oct 7 20:52	9.6 h	0.9 h	20:43	11:41 (+1)	Poor
London	Sun, Oct 8 04:52	9.1 h	None	19:28	—	Poor
Madrid	Sun, Oct 8 05:52	9.5 h	0.2 h	21:31	12:05	Poor
Sydney	Sun, Oct 8 14:52	8.5 h	3.0 h	23:29	09:22 (+1)	Fair
São Paulo	Sun, Oct 8 00:52	9.0 h	2.4 h	21:48	08:38 (+1)	Poor

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

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