Orionids 2027: the moon at peak

Oct 21, 2027, 15:18 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

62% Mixed — significant moonlight for part of the night.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Oct 21, 2027, 15:18 UTC

Illumination

62%

Last quarter

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	Fri, Oct 22 00:18	10.1 h	2.8 h	22:05	12:32	Poor
Tokyo	Fri, Oct 22 00:18	10.1 h	2.9 h	21:18	—	Poor
New York	Thu, Oct 21 11:18	10.0 h	2.1 h	21:47	12:44	Poor
Los Angeles	Thu, Oct 21 08:18	10.0 h	2.7 h	22:15	12:24	Poor
London	Thu, Oct 21 16:18	10.0 h	2.2 h	21:59	14:19	Poor
Madrid	Thu, Oct 21 17:18	10.1 h	3.1 h	00:04 (+1)	14:43	Fair
Sydney	Fri, Oct 22 02:18	7.9 h	4.4 h	01:07 (+1)	11:07 (+1)	Fair
São Paulo	Thu, Oct 21 12:18	8.6 h	4.8 h	00:20 (+1)	11:20 (+1)	Fair

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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