Quadrantids 2028: the moon at peak

Jan 4, 2028, 00:20 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

40% Good — a thin moon leaves most of the night usable.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Jan 4, 2028, 00:20 UTC

Illumination

40%

First quarter

Peak rate (ZHR)

~80/hour

Radiant

Boötes

Active period

Dec 28 – Jan 12

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, Jan 4 09:20	11.2 h	6.8 h	11:25 (+1)	23:28	Fair
Tokyo	Tue, Jan 4 09:20	11.2 h	6.8 h	10:34 (+1)	22:35	Fair
New York	Mon, Jan 3 19:20	11.4 h	6.3 h	10:59 (+1)	23:26	Fair
Los Angeles	Mon, Jan 3 16:20	11.1 h	6.1 h	11:05 (+1)	23:26	Fair
London	Tue, Jan 4 00:20	11.9 h	6.6 h	10:48 (+1)	23:26	Fair
Madrid	Tue, Jan 4 01:20	11.4 h	6.4 h	—	00:33 (+1)	Fair
Sydney	Tue, Jan 4 11:20	6.2 h	4.5 h	—	23:35	Good
São Paulo	Mon, Jan 3 21:20	7.6 h	4.9 h	11:50 (+1)	23:05	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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