Leonids 2028: the moon at peak

Nov 17, 2028, 02:27 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

1% Excellent — the moon is essentially out of the way.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Nov 17, 2028, 02:27 UTC

Illumination

New moon

Peak rate (ZHR)

~15/hour

Radiant

Leo

Active period

Nov 6 – Nov 30

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, Nov 17 11:27	10.9 h	10.9 h	07:56 (+1)	16:45	Good
Tokyo	Fri, Nov 17 11:27	10.8 h	10.8 h	06:57 (+1)	15:58	Good
New York	Thu, Nov 16 21:27	11.0 h	11.0 h	08:08 (+1)	16:26	Good
Los Angeles	Thu, Nov 16 18:27	10.8 h	10.8 h	07:51 (+1)	16:50	Good
London	Fri, Nov 17 02:27	11.3 h	11.3 h	08:49 (+1)	15:36	Good
Madrid	Fri, Nov 17 03:27	11.0 h	11.0 h	09:13 (+1)	17:37	Good
Sydney	Fri, Nov 17 13:27	6.8 h	6.8 h	06:36 (+1)	20:35	Good
São Paulo	Thu, Nov 16 23:27	7.9 h	7.9 h	05:49 (+1)	18:51	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

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