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Quadrantids
QUA — Parent: 96P/Machholz complex
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Dec 28 –
Jan 12 |
Jan 3 (~9pm UT) |
~120 |
41 km/s |
✗ Full Moon (100%) — Very poor conditions
Day 15.2 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Very brief 6-hour peak window. The radiant is far to the north — poorly placed for Tasmania. Worth watching in years when the Moon is favourable. |
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April Lyrids
LYR — Parent: Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher
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Apr 16 –
May 1 |
Apr 22–23 |
~18 |
49 km/s |
✓ Waxing Crescent (36%) — Good, sets before midnight
Day 6.1 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:A reliable autumn shower, best viewed after midnight when the radiant rises in the north-east. Occasionally produces outbursts up to 100 meteors/hr with little warning. |
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Eta Aquariids ★
ETA — Parent: Comet 1P/Halley (Halley's Comet)
(Eta = Greek letter “e”, near star Eta in Aquarius) |
Apr 19 –
May 28 |
May 5–7 ★ |
~50 |
66 km/s |
⚠ Waning Gibbous (72%) — Moderate interference
Day 20.1 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:One of the very best showers for Tasmania! Debris from Halley's Comet. The radiant rises well above the north-eastern horizon before dawn — a much better view than from Europe. Activity lasts nearly two weeks around the peak. Fast meteors with glowing trails. Best observed 3am–5am AEST. |
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June Bootids
JBO — Parent: Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke
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Jun 22 –
Jul 2 |
Jun 27 |
Variable |
18 km/s |
✗ Waxing Gibbous (97%) — Poor, significant interference
Day 13 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Normally just a handful per hour, but has surprised observers with rare outbursts. Very slow, lazy meteors make them easy to identify. |
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Alpha Capricornids
CAP — Parent: Comet 169P/NEAT
(Alpha = first Greek letter “a”, near star Alpha Capricorni) |
Jul 3 –
Aug 15 |
Jul 29–31 |
~5 |
23 km/s |
✗ Full Moon (97%) — Poor, significant interference
Day 16.5 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Low rate but famous for spectacular slow-moving fireballs (very bright meteors). Radiant well-placed from Tasmania. Best after 10pm when Capricornus rises in the north-east. |
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Southern Delta Aquariids ★
SDA — Parent: Comet 96P/Machholz
(Delta = Greek letter “d”. Southern branch of the shower) |
Jul 12 –
Aug 23 |
Jul 29–31 |
~25 |
41 km/s |
✗ Full Moon (97%) — Poor, significant interference
Day 16.5 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:A southern hemisphere favourite — significantly better from Tasmania than from Europe. The radiant passes high overhead giving excellent rates. Check the auto moon reading above for this year's peak conditions. |
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Perseids ★
PER — Parent: Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle
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Jul 17 –
Aug 26 |
Aug 12–13 ★ |
~100 |
59 km/s |
✓ Waning Crescent (0%) — Excellent conditions
Day 29.5 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:The world's most famous meteor shower. The radiant (in Perseus) sits lower from Tasmania than from Europe, but rates are still impressive. Face north-east after midnight. Fast bright meteors with long glowing trains. |
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Aurigids
AUR — Parent: Comet C/1911 N1 Kiess
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Aug 28 –
Sep 5 |
Sep 1 |
~6 |
66 km/s |
⚠ Waning Gibbous (73%) — Moderate interference
Day 19.9 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Minor shower of fast meteors. Radiant low from Tasmania. Occasional outbursts possible. Best in years with a favourable moon. |
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Draconids
DRA — Parent: Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
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Oct 6 –
Oct 10 |
Oct 8 |
Variable |
20 km/s |
✓ Waning Crescent (5%) — Excellent conditions
Day 27.4 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Normally very quiet but capable of spectacular storms. Very slow meteors. Radiant far north — doesn't rise well from Tasmania, but bright fireballs can still be seen across the whole sky. |
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Orionids
ORI — Parent: Comet 1P/Halley (Halley's Comet)
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Oct 2 –
Nov 7 |
Oct 20–22 |
~25 |
66 km/s |
⚠ Waxing Gibbous (84%) — Moderate interference
Day 10.9 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Second annual shower from Halley's Comet debris. Orion rises well from Tasmania in spring. Fast meteors with persistent glowing trails. Activity elevated for several nights around the peak. |
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Southern Taurids
STA — Parent: Comet 2P/Encke
(Southern branch of the Taurid meteor stream) |
Sep 10 –
Nov 20 |
Oct 9–11 |
~5 |
27 km/s |
✓ Waning Crescent (0%) — Excellent conditions
Day 29.4 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Long shower active for over two months. Low rates but slow, bright, colourful meteors. Southern branch well-placed from Tasmania. Famous for producing occasional brilliant fireballs. |
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Northern Taurids
NTA — Parent: Comet 2P/Encke
(Northern branch of the Taurid meteor stream) |
Oct 20 –
Dec 10 |
Nov 12 |
~5 |
29 km/s |
✓ Waxing Crescent (12%) — Excellent conditions
Day 3.3 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Northern branch of the same debris stream as the Southern Taurids. Even-numbered years often see enhanced fireball activity from the denser Taurid Swarm. 2026 is an even year — watch for brilliant fireballs! |
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Leonids
LEO — Parent: Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle
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Nov 6 –
Dec 1 |
Nov 16–17 |
~15 |
71 km/s |
✓ First Quarter (60%) — Good, sets before midnight
Day 8.3 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:The fastest meteor shower — 71 km/s! Creates vivid coloured meteors with long glowing trails. Historically produced some of the greatest meteor storms ever recorded. |
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Geminids ★
GEM — Parent: Asteroid 3200 Phaethon (not a comet!)
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Dec 4 –
Dec 20 |
Dec 13–14 ★ |
~150 |
35 km/s |
✓ Waxing Crescent (24%) — Excellent conditions
Day 4.8 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:Best meteor shower of the year — unique because it comes from an asteroid! Rich, colourful, medium-speed meteors, often yellow, orange or green. Gemini rises well from Tasmania. Start observing from 10pm. Check the auto moon reading for this year's conditions. |
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Ursids
URS — Parent: Comet 8P/Tuttle
(Named after Ursa Minor, the Little Bear constellation) |
Dec 17 –
Dec 26 |
Dec 21–23 |
~10 |
33 km/s |
✗ Waxing Gibbous (99%) — Poor, significant interference
Day 13.8 of 29.5
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► Tasmania & Southern Hemisphere:The radiant is circumpolar to the far north and never rises above the horizon from Tasmania — essentially unobservable from the southern hemisphere. |
Beaumaris Weather - Tas
