Orionids 2026: the moon at peak

Oct 21, 2026, 09:22 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

75% Mixed — significant moonlight for part of the night.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Oct 21, 2026, 09:22 UTC

Illumination

75%

Waxing gibbous

Peak rate (ZHR)

~20/hour

Radiant

Orion

Active period

Oct 2 – Nov 7

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	Wed, Oct 21 18:22	10.1 h	3.1 h	15:09	02:16 (+1)	Fair
Tokyo	Wed, Oct 21 18:22	10.1 h	3.0 h	14:15	01:25 (+1)	Fair
New York	Wed, Oct 21 05:22	10.0 h	3.6 h	15:27	02:07 (+1)	Fair
Los Angeles	Wed, Oct 21 02:22	10.1 h	3.3 h	15:16	02:21 (+1)	Fair
London	Wed, Oct 21 10:22	9.9 h	4.2 h	15:55	01:33 (+1)	Fair
Madrid	Wed, Oct 21 11:22	10.0 h	3.8 h	16:41	03:13 (+1)	Fair
Sydney	Wed, Oct 21 20:22	7.9 h	1.0 h	14:10	03:38 (+1)	Poor
São Paulo	Wed, Oct 21 06:22	8.6 h	1.8 h	13:10	02:24 (+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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