Meteor Showers in 2024

Step outside on a clear night in 2024, and you might find yourself amidst a celestial spectacle that promises to dazzle the night sky—meteor showers.

As Earth intersects the debris trails of comets and asteroids, a cosmic display awaits, enchanting stargazers around the globe. Get ready to be enchanted by the meteor showers of 2024, a celestial spectacle that promises to paint the night sky with fleeting wonders.

What Is a Meteor Shower?

A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a heightened number of meteors or “shooting stars” are observed in the night sky. This phenomenon occurs when the Earth passes through the debris trail left behind by a comet or asteroid, causing particles to enter the Earth’s atmosphere. As these particles burn up upon entering the atmosphere, they create bright streaks of light in the sky, commonly known as meteors.

Meteor showers are often named after the constellation from which the meteors appear to originate, and they occur at predictable times each year as Earth intersects the debris paths of various comets or asteroids.

What Are the best Meteor Showers in 2024?

In my many years of experience stargazing, the best meteor showers are the ones with the highest zenithal hourly rate or highest number of meteors per hour. Therefore, the best meteor showers (in chronological order) are: the Quadrantids, the Perseids, and the Geminids.

Meteor Showers this Month

We cover meteor showers in our monthly stargazing calendars. You can find all the meteor showers visible this month in the latest edition of our stargazing calendar.

List of all the Meteor Showers in 2024

1. Antihelion Source: Start on December 10; multiple peaks; end September 10.
2. Quadrantids: Start on December 26; peak on January 4; end on January 12.
3. γ-Ursae Minorid: Start on January 15; peak on January 20; end on January 25.
4. α-Centaurids: Start on January 28; peak on February 8; end on February 21.
5. γ-Normids: Start on February 25; peak on March 14; end on March 28.
6. Lyrids: Start on April 16; peak on April 22; end on April 25.
7. π-Puppids: Start on April 15; peak on April 23; end on April 28.
8. η-Aquariids: Start on April 19; peak on May 5; end on May 28.
9. η-Lyrids: Start on May 3; peak on May 8; end on May 14.
10. τ-Herculids: Start on May 25; peak on May 31; end on June 4.
11. Daytime Arietids: Start on May 14; peak on June 7; end on June 24.
12. June Bootids: Start on June 22; peak on June 27; end on July 2.
13. July Pegasids: Start on July 4; peak on July 10; end on July 17.
14. Piscis Austrinids: Start on July 15; peak on July 28; end on August 10.
15. Southern δ-Aquariids: Start on July 12; peak on July 30; end on August 23.
16. α-Capricornids: Start on July 3; peak on July 30; end on August 15.
17. η-Eridanids: Start on July 31; peak on August 8; end on August 19.
18. Perseids: Start on July 17; peak on August 12; end on August 24.
19. κ-Cygnids: Start on August 3; peak on August 17; end on August 25.
20. Aurigids: Start on August 28; peak on August 31; end on September 5.
21. ν-Eridanids: Start on September 1; peak on September 6; end on October 29.
22. September ε-Perseids: Start on September 5; peak on September 9; end on September 21.
23. χ-Cygnids: Start on September 3; peak on September 14; end on September 25.
24. Daytime Sextantids: Start on September 9; peak on September 27; end on October 9.
25. October Camelopardalids: Start on October 5; peak on October 6; end on October 6.
26. Draconids: Start on October 6; peak on October 8; end on October 10.
27. Southern Taurids: Start on September 10; peak on October 10; end on November 20.
28. δ-Aurigids: Start on October 10; peak on October 11; end on October 18.
29. ε-Geminids: Start on October 14; peak on October 18; end on October 27.
30. Orionids: Start on October 2; peak on October 22; end on November 7.
31. Leonis Minorids: Start on October 19; peak on October 24; end on October 27.
32. Northern Taurids: Start on October 20; peak on November 12; end on December 10.
33. Leonids: Start on November 6; peak on November 17; end on November 30.
34. α-Monocerotids: Start on November 15; peak on November 21; end on November 25.
35. November Orionids: Start on November 13; peak on November 28; end on December 6.
36. Phoenicids: Start on November 28; peak on December 2; end on December 9.
37. December φ-Cassiopeids: Start on December 1; peak on December 6; end on December 8.
38. Puppid-Velids: Start on December 1; peak on December 7; end on December 15.
39. Monocerotids: Start on December 5; peak on December 8; end on December 20.
40. σ-Hydrids: Start on December 3; peak on December 11; end on December 15.
41. Geminids: Start on December 4; peak on December 14; end on December 17.
42. Comae Berenicids: Start on December 12; peak on December 15; end on December 23.
43. December Leonis Minorids: Start on December 5; peak on December 20; end on February 4.
44. Ursids: Start on December 17; peak on December 22; end on December 26.

Conclusion

As we bid adieu to the meteor showers of 2024, the celestial ballet that graced our night skies leaves a lingering sense of wonder and awe. Each shooting star, a fleeting reminder of the vastness and beauty of our universe, has illuminated our appreciation for the cosmic wonders above.

Source: International Meteor Organization