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Meteor showers
Shooting stars are grains of dust that burn up in Earthâs atmosphere. Every year, at the same time, Earth crosses the dust trails of certain comets. That is when especially many fall. Here are the 10 main showers, sorted by their next peak.
Orionids
- Next peak
- 21 October 2026
- Active
- 2 October 2026 to 7 November 2026
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 20 under ideal conditions, about 10 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- the Moon hardly interferes
- Appear to come from
- Orion
- Speed
- 66 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Halley
For the second time in the year, Earth crosses the dust trail of Comet Halley. Fast meteors, often leaving a glowing trail.
Taurids
- Next peak
- 12 November 2026
- Active
- 10 September 2026 to 10 December 2026
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 5 under ideal conditions, about 3 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- the Moon hardly interferes
- Appear to come from
- Taurus
- Speed
- 29 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Encke
Few meteors, but slow and sometimes very bright ones â the Taurids are known for their fireballs.
Leonids
- Next peak
- 17 November 2026
- Active
- 6 November 2026 to 30 November 2026
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 15 under ideal conditions, about 8 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- the Moon hardly interferes
- Appear to come from
- Leo
- Speed
- 71 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Tempel-Tuttle
The fastest shooting stars. About every 33 years there are âmeteor stormsâ: in 1833 and 1966 up to tens of thousands fell per hour!
Geminids
- Next peak
- 14 December 2026
- Active
- 4 December 2026 to 20 December 2026
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 150 under ideal conditions, about 87 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- the Moon hardly interferes
- Appear to come from
- Gemini
- Speed
- 35 km/s
- Origin
- Asteroid (3200) Phaethon
The strongest shower of the year â and one of the few that come from an asteroid. Easy to see from as early as about 9 pm, so wrap up warm!
Ursids
- Next peak
- 22 December 2026
- Active
- 17 December 2026 to 26 December 2026
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 10 under ideal conditions, about 2 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- bright Moon, only the brightest can be seen
- Appear to come from
- Ursa Minor
- Speed
- 33 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Tuttle
The âChristmas showerâ. The radiant near the Pole Star never sets â you can watch all night long.
Quadrantids
- Next peak
- 4 January 2027
- Active
- 29 December 2026 to 13 January 2027
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 80 under ideal conditions, about 41 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- the Moon hardly interferes
- Appear to come from
- Boötes
- Speed
- 41 km/s
- Origin
- Asteroid 2003 EH1 (probably an extinct comet)
Named after a constellation that no longer exists: the âMural Quadrantâ. The peak is very short â only a few hours.
Lyrids
- Next peak
- 23 April 2027
- Active
- 15 April 2027 to 1 May 2027
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 18 under ideal conditions, about 4 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- bright Moon, only the brightest can be seen
- Appear to come from
- Lyra
- Speed
- 49 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1)
One of the oldest known meteor showers: Chinese astronomers described it more than 2,600 years ago.
Eta Aquariids
- Next peak
- 6 May 2027
- Active
- 19 April 2027 to 28 May 2027
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 50 under ideal conditions, about 7 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- the Moon hardly interferes
- Appear to come from
- Aquarius
- Speed
- 66 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Halley
Dust from Comet Halley. Unfortunately hard to see from Switzerland: the radiant only rises shortly before dawn.
Perseids
- Next peak
- 13 August 2027
- Active
- 18 July 2027 to 25 August 2027
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 100 under ideal conditions, about 55 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- the Moon hardly interferes
- Appear to come from
- Perseus
- Speed
- 59 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Swift-Tuttle
The most popular shower: warm summer nights and lots of bright shooting stars. Popularly known as the âTears of St Lawrenceâ, because the peak falls around St Lawrence's Day (10 August).
Draconids
- Next peak
- 9 October 2027
- Active
- 7 October 2027 to 11 October 2027
- Shooting stars per hour
- up to 10 under ideal conditions, about 3 above Switzerland
- Moonlight
- bright Moon, only the brightest can be seen
- Appear to come from
- Draco
- Speed
- 20 km/s
- Origin
- Comet Giacobini-Zinner
Very slow shooting stars, best in the early evening. Usually quiet, but good for a surprise: in 1933 and 1946 thousands fell per hour.
Dates and moonlight calculated for Zurich, as of 14 October 2026. The figure âabove Switzerlandâ is an estimate for a dark place outside the city.
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