Orionid Meteor Shower 2026: When and How to Watch in the US

Updated Wednesday, October 21, 2026

If you have ever wanted an excuse to stand outside in a jacket at 3 a.m., this is it. The Orionid meteor shower is peaking right now, and with a little planning you can catch fast, bright streaks of light cutting across the sky, no telescope needed.

There is a catch this year: the Moon is bright. Don’t let that stop you. Here is exactly when to look, where to look, and how to give yourself the best shot at seeing something worth remembering.

Key Takeaways

• The Orionids peak on the night of October 21 to 22, 2026, with good activity on the nights around it.
• The best time to watch is after midnight and before dawn, local time.
• Under dark skies, expect roughly 10 to 20 meteors per hour. Fewer if you are near city lights.
• A bright, waxing gibbous Moon will wash out some of the fainter meteors this year.
• You don’t need a telescope or binoculars. Your eyes are enough.

What Is the Orionid Meteor Shower?

The Orionids are an annual meteor shower that comes from Halley’s Comet. Every time the comet swings through the inner solar system, it leaves a trail of dust and tiny rocky bits behind. Each October, Earth plows through that trail. The leftover grains hit our atmosphere at about 41 miles per second (roughly 66 kilometers per second), and they burn up in a flash of light. That flash is what we call a shooting star.

Halley’s Comet is also behind a second shower, the Eta Aquariids, which shows up every May. So if you catch the Orionids, you are watching pieces of one of the most famous comets in history.

The shower gets its name from the constellation Orion. The meteors appear to fan out from a spot near Orion’s raised club, just above and to the left of the reddish star Betelgeuse. Astronomers call that spot the radiant.

When to Watch the Orionids in 2026

The Orionids are active from October 2 through November 7, but the real action is around the peak.

• Peak night: October 21 into the early hours of October 22, according to NASA and most observing guides.
• Bonus nights: The peak is broad, so the nights of October 20 to 21 and October 22 to 23 are also worth a look, especially if clouds ruin the main night.
• A note on timing: The American Meteor Society predicts the exact peak moment at 6:54 UTC on October 23. That works out to about 2:54 a.m. Eastern. Different groups pick slightly different peak times, which is normal for meteor showers.
• Best hours: Roughly midnight until the sky starts to brighten before sunrise. That is when Orion climbs high in the sky and more meteors are visible.

Because the peak is spread over a few nights, you don’t have to stress about getting the timing perfect.

Orionid Viewing Times by US Time Zone

The American Meteor Society’s predicted peak moment is 6:54 UTC on October 23. Here is what that looks like on your clock, depending on where you live. Daylight saving time is still in effect across most of the country until November 1, so these times use daylight time.

Time zone	Example states	Predicted peak moment
Eastern (EDT)	Ohio, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Virginia	2:54 a.m., Oct. 23
Central (CDT)	Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Louisiana, most of Texas	1:54 a.m., Oct. 23
Mountain (MDT)	Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho	12:54 a.m., Oct. 23
Arizona (MST)	Arizona (no daylight saving time)	11:54 p.m., Oct. 22
Pacific (PDT)	California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada	11:54 p.m., Oct. 22
Alaska (AKDT)	Alaska	10:54 p.m., Oct. 22
Hawaii (HST)	Hawaii	8:54 p.m., Oct. 22

Don’t treat that single minute as a deadline. It is a prediction, and the Orionid peak is broad, so activity stays strong for hours on either side. Other groups, including NASA, point to the night of October 21 to 22 as the peak.

A better rule for everyone, in every state: go out after midnight local time and stay until the sky starts to brighten before dawn. That is when Orion is high in the sky and you will see the most meteors. This matters most on the West Coast, in Alaska and in Hawaii, where the predicted peak moment falls in the evening, before Orion has climbed high. For those readers, the hours after midnight on the nights of October 21 to 22 and October 22 to 23 are the better bet.

Moonrise and moonset times differ from city to city. Search for your city’s moonset time on a site like timeanddate.com, and plan your watching for the darkest stretch after the Moon goes down, if that falls before dawn.

How Many Meteors Can You Expect?

Be realistic. The Orionids are not the busiest shower of the year. Under a very dark sky, observers can expect about 10 to 20 meteors per hour at the peak. From a suburb or city, you might count only a handful.

What the Orionids lack in numbers, they make up for in speed. These meteors are fast, and some of them leave glowing trails that linger for a moment. Every so often one breaks apart into a bright fireball, the kind that makes everyone around you gasp at the same time.

Meteors also come in bursts. You might sit for ten minutes and see nothing, then catch three in a row. That is completely normal, so don’t give up after a slow stretch. Most people who stay out for an hour or more end up seeing at least a few good ones.

One more thing worth knowing: the rate you read about is the best case. It assumes a very dark sky with the radiant high overhead. Your own count will depend on your location, the weather, the Moon and how long you stay out.

The Moon Problem This Year

The Full Moon arrives on October 26, so during the peak the Moon is a bright waxing gibbous, lit up roughly 70 to 80 percent according to observing guides. Moonlight brightens the whole sky, which hides the dimmer meteors.

You can still have a good night. A few tricks help:

• Keep the Moon behind you or off to the side, and look at a different part of the sky.
• Stand where a building, hill or tree line blocks direct moonlight.
• Focus on the bright meteors. Those still show up under a bright Moon.

How to See the Orionids: Step by Step

1. Check your forecast first. Clouds matter more than anything. Look at your local National Weather Service forecast a few hours before you head out.
2. Get away from city lights. A park, a field, a beach or a rural road all beat a lit-up neighborhood. Even a short drive helps.
3. Find a wide-open view. You want as much sky as possible, without buildings or tall trees blocking it.
4. Dress warmer than you think. October nights get cold, and you will be sitting still. Bring a blanket, a hat and something hot to drink.
5. Lie back and look up. A reclining chair or a blanket on the ground is much easier on your neck than standing.
6. Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes. Your vision needs time to adjust to the dark. Put your phone away, because one glance at the screen resets the clock.
7. Look away from Orion. Meteors seen farther from the radiant tend to have longer, more dramatic trails. Looking at the sky at a 45-degree angle from Orion, away from the Moon, is a good rule of thumb.

Can You Take a Photo of a Meteor?

You can try, and it is a fun challenge. Mount a camera or phone on a tripod, use a wide-angle lens, set a long exposure and keep taking shots. Don’t expect to catch every meteor. Many photographers take hundreds of frames and keep only a few. Turn off the flash, and avoid pointing the camera at the Moon, because it will blow out the picture.

If you are using a camera, a common starting point is the widest aperture your lens allows, an exposure of around 15 to 20 seconds, and a high ISO. Focus manually on a bright star before you begin. On a phone, switch to night mode or a long-exposure setting and keep the phone completely still. Cold nights drain batteries fast, so bring a spare or a power bank.

Aim the camera toward the dark side of the sky, roughly in the direction of Orion but with a wide frame, and let it run. Then enjoy the show with your own eyes while the camera does its work, since you will see far more than the camera ever captures.

What Meteor Shower Is Next?

If clouds or the Moon get in the way, you still have more chances this fall. The Orionids stay active until November 7, so you can try again on a clearer night. As the Moon moves toward full on October 26, though, the sky will keep getting brighter, so the nights right after the peak are not much better for faint meteors.

The next big date is the Leonids, expected to peak around November 17 and 18. This time the Moon should be much fainter, which gives you a darker sky than you get with the Orionids this week.

After that comes the Geminids in December, usually the most prolific meteor shower of the year. This year the Moon is expected to set early in the evening, opening the door to excellent viewing. If you only plan to stay up late for one meteor shower in 2026, many stargazers would pick this one.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Orionid meteor shower in 2026?
It is active from October 2 to November 7, with the peak around the night of October 21 to 22.

What time is best to see the Orionids?
After midnight and before dawn, local time, when Orion is high in the sky.

Do I need a telescope or binoculars?
No. Meteors cover a huge part of the sky, so your naked eyes work best.

How many Orionid meteors can I see per hour?
About 10 to 20 per hour under dark, clear skies. Less in bright or cloudy conditions.

Where do Orionid meteors come from?
They are tiny bits of debris left behind by Halley’s Comet.

Will the Moon ruin the Orionids this year?
It will make the fainter meteors harder to spot, but the brighter ones will still be visible. Keep the Moon out of your direct view.

The bottom line: the Orionids are not the flashiest show of the year, and the Moon is going to make it a little harder. But the effort is small. Bundle up, find a dark spot, give your eyes time to adjust and look up. Even one bright streak from a piece of Halley’s Comet is worth the cold.

Clear skies, and good luck. If you spot one, let us know in the comments where you saw it.