2026 Skywatchers Guide: Meteor Showers, Supermoons & Total Lunar Eclipse
2026 brings a new year of spectacular meteor showers. To see Earth’s best show, all you need to do is look up. Here are all the best celestial events to look forward to in 2026 including meteor showers, supermoons, and eclipses.
This year we’re in for several supermoons, which is when the moon appears brighter and may appear larger than a normal full moon. In 2026, there are 3 “supermoons.” Read more about what’s considered a “supermoon.”
Also, in 2026, we’ll have a Total Lunar Eclipse on March 13 when the Moon passes entirely through Earth’s dark shadow and the Moon gradually darkens before taking on a reddish hue. This eclipse will be the last total lunar eclipse until late 2028.
Thanks to Earthsky for sharing the details for 2026’s Meteor Showers.
2026 Meteor Showers
January
- Active: Dec. 28, 2025 – Jan. 12, 2026
- Peak: Night of Jan 3-4, 2026
- Best Viewing: Before dawn Jan. 4 (northeastern sky)
- Notes: Bright moonlight near peak will wash out many meteors this year.
April
- Active: April 14 – April 30, 2026
- Peak: Night of April 21 into early April 22
- Best Viewing: After midnight through dawn on April 22 (look toward the northern sky)
- Notes: Typically a medium-strength shower with ~10–20 meteors/hour in dark skies
May
- Active Period: April 19 – May 28, 2026
- Peak: Night of May 5 into early May 6, 2026
- Best Viewing: Pre-dawn hours of May 6, 2026, roughly 3 – 5am PST
- Notes: Moonlight will interfere this year
July
- Active Period: Mid‑July through late July / early August (roughly July 18 to August 12, 2026)
- Peak: Around July 28-30, 2026 (broad peak period rather than a sharp hour)
- Best Viewing: After midnight through pre‑dawn from late July into early August
- Notes: Typically produces 15-20 meteors per hour in dark skies
- Active Period: July 17 – August 24
- Peak: August 12, 2025
- Best Viewing: Late night of August 10 through early morning of August 13 (expected peak varies depending on source)
- Active Period: October 2 – November 12
- Peak: October 22-23, 2025
- Best Viewing: Early morning hours before dawn on October 21
- Duration: September 10 to November 20, 2025
- Predicted Peak: November 5, 2025, at 5:00 a.m. PST
- Duration: October 20 to December 10, 2025
- Predicted Peak: November 12, 2025, at 4:00 a.m. PST
- Active Period: November 6 – November 30
- Peak: November 17, 2025
- Best Viewing: After midnight on November 17
- Active Period: December 4 – December 17
- Peak: December 14, 2025
- Best Viewing: Night of December 13 through early morning of December 14
- Active Period: December 17 – December 26
- Peak: December 22, 2025
- Best Viewing: Pre-dawn hours of December 22
For optimal viewing, find a dark location away from city lights, allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness, and check local weather conditions for clear skies. Peak times are approximate and may slightly vary.
2026 Supermoons
Thanks to EarthSky for sharing the details of the 2026’s supermoons and NASA for the 2026 Eclipse information.
Read more about Supermoons at Earthsky
2026 Eclipses
March 3, 2026 – Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)
- What: The Moon fully enters Earth’s shadow and may appear reddish.
- Visibility: Visible from San Francisco in early morning hours (timing local to PST).
- Totality begins: around 3:04 a.m. PST
- Totality ends: around 4:02 a.m. PST
- Why Watch: One of the year’s most dramatic lunar events. This eclipse will be the last total lunar eclipse until late 2028.
Monday, March 2
Thanks to an optical illusion in the sky, the moon will appear bigger and brighter than normal in the San Francisco Bay Area in the night, during what astronomers call a “supermoon.” Because the sun is about 50,000 miles closer to the earth than at ...
Tuesday, March 3
Tuesday, April 21
Tuesday, May 5
Monday, November 23
Thanks to an optical illusion in the sky, the moon will appear bigger and brighter than normal in the San Francisco Bay Area in the night, during what astronomers call a “supermoon.” Because the sun is about 50,000 miles closer to the earth than at ...
Wednesday, December 23
Thanks to an optical illusion in the sky, the moon will appear bigger and brighter than normal in the San Francisco Bay Area in the night, during what astronomers call a “supermoon.” Because the sun is about 50,000 miles closer to the earth than at ...
