Geminids 2027: the moon at peak

Dec 14, 2027, 10:43 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

99% Poor — a bright moon washes out all but the brightest meteors.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Dec 14, 2027, 10:43 UTC

Illumination

99%

Full moon

Peak rate (ZHR)

~150/hour

Radiant

Gemini

Active period

Dec 4 – Dec 20

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	Tue, Dec 14 19:43	11.3 h	None	17:39	09:08 (+1)	Poor
Tokyo	Tue, Dec 14 19:43	11.2 h	None	16:52	08:10 (+1)	Poor
New York	Tue, Dec 14 05:43	11.4 h	None	16:21	08:20 (+1)	Poor
Los Angeles	Tue, Dec 14 02:43	11.1 h	None	16:50	08:01 (+1)	Poor
London	Tue, Dec 14 10:43	12.0 h	None	15:16	09:07 (+1)	Poor
Madrid	Tue, Dec 14 11:43	11.4 h	None	17:28	09:27 (+1)	Poor
Sydney	Tue, Dec 14 21:43	6.2 h	None	20:50	06:42 (+1)	Poor
São Paulo	Tue, Dec 14 07:43	7.5 h	None	19:05	05:51 (+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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