Ursids 2026: the moon at peak

Dec 22, 2026, 13:20 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

96% Poor — a bright moon washes out all but the brightest meteors.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Dec 22, 2026, 13:20 UTC

Illumination

96%

Waxing gibbous

Peak rate (ZHR)

~10/hour

Radiant

Ursa Minor

Active period

Dec 17 – Dec 26

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 22 22:20	11.3 h	None	15:09	06:49 (+1)	Poor
Tokyo	Tue, Dec 22 22:20	11.2 h	None	14:22	05:49 (+1)	Poor
New York	Tue, Dec 22 08:20	11.5 h	None	14:00	05:52 (+1)	Poor
Los Angeles	Tue, Dec 22 05:20	11.1 h	None	14:24	05:34 (+1)	Poor
London	Tue, Dec 22 13:20	12.0 h	None	13:49	07:55 (+1)	Poor
Madrid	Tue, Dec 22 14:20	11.4 h	None	16:01	08:09 (+1)	Poor
Sydney	Wed, Dec 23 00:20	6.1 h	None	18:20	04:06 (+1)	Poor
São Paulo	Tue, Dec 22 10:20	7.5 h	0.5 h	16:30	03:21 (+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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