During this period, the moon’s phase will wane from nearly half-illuminated to just a few percent. This weekend the waning crescent moon will rise during the early morning hours and will not bother meteor observers as long as they keep it out of their field of view.
The estimated total hourly rates for evening observers this weekend should be near 6 as seen from mid-northern latitudes (45°N) and 4 as seen from tropical southern locations (25°S). For morning observers, the estimated total hourly rates should be near 65 as seen from mid-northern latitudes (45°N) and 30 as seen from tropical southern locations (25°S). Late evening and morning rates are reduced due to lunar interference. Note that these extraordinarily high rates are due to the Geminid meteor shower peaking on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Rates will greatly subside as the week progresses.
The actual rates observed will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness, and experience in watching meteor activity. Note that the hourly rates listed below are estimates based on observations from dark-sky sites away from urban light sources. Observers viewing from urban areas will see less activity, as only the brighter meteors will be visible from such locations.
The radiant (the area of the sky from which meteors appear to originate) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning, December 13/14. These positions do not change greatly from day to day, so the listed coordinates may be used throughout this entire period. Most star atlases (available online, in bookstores, and at planetariums) include maps with celestial coordinate grids that can help you locate these positions in the sky.
I have also included charts of the sky that display the radiant positions for evening, midnight, and morning. The center of each chart represents the sky directly overhead at the corresponding hour. These charts are oriented for facing south but can be used for any direction by rotating them accordingly. A planisphere or planetarium app is also useful for showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year.
Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky (culmination), either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. Radiants that rise after midnight will not reach their highest point in the sky until daylight; therefore, it is best to view them during the last few hours of the night.
It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen directly at the radiant position. Rather, meteors shoot outward from the radiant, so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies near the edge rather than the center. Viewing in this way allows you to trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it belongs to a shower) or in another direction if it is sporadic. Meteor activity is not visible from radiants located far below the horizon.
The positions below are listed in west-to-east order by right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located farther west and are therefore accessible earlier in the night, while those listed farther down the list rise later.
Radiant Positions at 18:00 LST
Radiant Positions at 00:00 LST
Radiant Positions at 06:00 LST
These sources of meteoric activity are expected to be active this week
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The Southern chi Orionids (ORS) are active from November 14 through December 16, with maximum activity occurring on November 28th. The radiant is currently located at 05:56 (089) +19, which lies in northeastern Orion, 1 degree north of the 4th magnitude star known as Chi1. Orionis. This radiant is best placed in the southern sky near midnight LST, when it lies on the meridian and is located highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be less than 1 no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 25 km/sec., the average ORS meteor would be of medium-slow velocity.
Now that the activity from particles produced by comet 2P/Encke have ceased encountering the Earth, the Taurid showers for 2025 are over and we resume reporting activity from the Anthelion (ANT) radiant. This is not a true radiant, but rather activity caused by the Earth’s motion through space. As the Earth revolves around the sun it encounters particles orbiting in a pro-grade motion that are approaching their perihelion point. They all appear to be radiating from an area near the opposition point of the sun, hence the name Anthelion. These were once recorded as separate showers throughout the year, but it is now suggested to bin them into a category separate from true showers and sporadics. This radiant is a very large oval some thirty degrees wide by fifteen degrees high. Activity from this radiant can appear from more than one constellation. The position listed here is for the center of the radiant which is currently located at 06:20 (095) +23. This position lies in western Gemini, near the spot occupied by the 4th magnitude star known as mu Geminorum. This radiant is best placed near 01:00 local standard time (LST) when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the southern sky. Rates at this time should be near 3 per hour as seen from the northern hemisphere and 2 per hour as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Anthelion meteor would be of medium-slow velocity.
The Monocerotids (MON) are active from November 23 through December 24, with maximum activity occurring on December 10th. The radiant is currently located at 06:52 (103) +08. This area of the sky lies in northern Monoceros, 4 degrees southeast of the 3rd magnitude star known as Alzirr (xi Geminorum). This radiant is best placed in the northern sky near 0200 LST, when it lies highest above the northern horizon. Hourly rates should be near 2 no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 41 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of medium speed.
The Geminids (GEM) are active from December 1st through December 24th, with maximum activity occurring on the night of December 13/14. The radiant is currently located at 07:36 (114) +32. This area of the sky lies in northern Gemini, near the spot occupied by the 2nd magnitude star known as Castor (alpha Geminorum). This radiant is best placed in the northern sky near 0200 LST, when it lies highest above the southern horizon. Hourly rates on Sunday morning should be near 50 as seen from the northern hemisphere and 20 as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 32 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of medium -slow speed. Hourly rates will rapidly diminish as the week progresses.
The sigma Hydrids (HYD) are active from November 22 through December 31, with maximum activity occurring on December 7th. The radiant is currently located at 08:44 (131) +01. This area of the sky lies in western Hydra, 2 degrees south of the 4th magnitude star known as eta Hydrae. This radiant is best placed near 0300 LST, when it lies highest above the southern horizon. Rates should be near 2 no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 58 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be swift.
The kappa Velids (KVE) were recently discovered by SAAMER (Pokorný et al., 2017), an Argentine meteor radar system. This radiant is the main radiant in an area where many minor radiants seem to be active this time of year. The KVE’s are active from December 16 through January 6 with maximum activity occurring on December 26th. The radiant is currently located at 08:48 (132) -46, which places it in western Vela, 4 degrees southwest of the 2nd magnitude star known as Suhail (lambda Velorum). These meteors are best seen near 0300 LST when the radiant lies highest above the southern horizon. Current rates should be less than 1 per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 43 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of medium speed.
The eta Hydrids (EHY) are active from November 22 through December 31, with maximum activity occurring on December 8th. The radiant is currently located at 09:08 (137) +01. This area of the sky lies on western Hydra, 1 degree southwest of the 4th magnitude star known as theta Hydrae. This radiant is best placed near 0400 LST, when it lies highest above the southern horizon. Rates should be less than 1 no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 62 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of appear swift.
The Comae Berenicids (COM) are a long duration shower active from December 5th through February 4th. Maximum activity occurs on December 19th. The radiant is currently located at 10:24 (156) +33, which places it in eastern Leo Minor,1 degree southwest of the 4th magnitude star known as Praecipua (46 Leonis Minoris). These meteors would be best seen near 05:00 LST, when the radiant lies highest in the eastern sky. Current rates would be less than one no matter your location. At 63km/sec., these meteors would produce mostly swift meteors.
The December chi Virginids (XVI) are active from October 26 to December 30 with maximum activity occurring on December 14th. The radiant is currently located at 12:44 (191) -10. This position lies in southwestern Virgo, 2 degrees southeast of the faint star known chi Virginis. The radiant is best placed in the eastern sky during the last hour before morning twilight when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Current rates are expected to be less than 1 per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 68 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would possess a swift speed.
The Ursids (URS) are active from a radiant located at 13:08 (197) +77. This area of the sky is located in eastern Camelopardalis, 5 degrees northwest of the 4th magnitude star known as 5 Ursae Minoris). The Ursids are active from December 13-24, with maximum activity occurring on the 22nd. Current rates are expected to be less than 1 per hour no matter your location. These meteors are best seen in the last few hours before dawn when the radiant lies highest in the northern sky. At 36km/sec., these meteors are of medium velocity. Due to the high northern location, these meteors are not visible from the southern hemisphere.
The December sigma Virginids (DSV) are active from November 26 to January 24 with maximum activity occurring on December 23rd. The radiant is currently located at 13:24 (201) +06. This position lies in northern Virgo, 6 degrees southeast of the 3rd magnitude star known as Vindemiatrix (epsilon Virginis). The radiant is best placed in the eastern sky during the last hour before morning twilight when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Current rates are expected to be less than 1 per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 66 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of swift speed.
The December alpha Bootids (DAB) were discovered by Rudawska and Jenniskens in 2014. This shower is active from December 11 through the 20th, peaking on the 14th. The radiant position lies at 14:08 (212) +22, which lies in southern Bootis, 3 degrees northwest of the brilliant zero magnitude orange star known as Arcturus (alpha Bootis). The radiant is best placed in the eastern sky during the last hour before morning twilight when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Current rates are expected to be less than 1 per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 69 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of swift speed.
Sporadic meteors are those that cannot be associated with any known meteor shower. All meteor showers evolve and disperse over time until they are no longer recognizable. Away from the peaks of major annual showers, these sporadic meteors make up the bulk of the activity seen each night.
As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45°N), one would expect to see approximately 8 sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn, from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near 3 per hour. From tropical southern latitudes (25°S), morning rates would be around 4 per hour and 2 per hour during the evening. Locations between these two extremes would experience activity between these figures. Morning and late evening rates are reduced due to moonlight.
The list below provides tabular information on the active showers that are within reach of the visual observer to discern. Hourly rates are often less than one, so these sources are rarely listed as visual targets in most meteor shower catalogs. If you, like me, wish to associate as many meteors as possible with known sources, you will appreciate these listings.
Before claiming to have observed meteors from these Class IV showers, you should determine whether they truly belong to them and are not chance alignments of sporadic meteors. Note parameters such as duration, length, radiant distance, and elevation of each meteor to help compute the probability of shower association.
It should be remembered that slow meteors can appear in fast showers, but fast meteors cannot be produced by slow showers. Slower showers are those with velocities less than 35 km/sec. Slow meteors can appear from fast showers when they occur close to the radiant or low in the sky.
The table located on page 22 of the IMO’s 2025 Meteor Shower Calendar is a helpful tool for identifying meteors. If you record the length and duration of each meteor, you can use this chart to check the probability of the meteor belonging to a shower of known velocity. If the angular velocity matches the figure in the table, your meteor probably belongs to that shower.
Recognizing meteors from obscure showers is not for beginning meteor observers—it takes many hours of practice to develop an instinct for what you’re seeing. It is our hope that you will move beyond simply watching meteors as a celestial fireworks display and help expand our knowledge of these heavenly visitors by classifying each meteor you observe.
Rates and positions in the table are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning December 13/14.
| SHOWER | DATE OF MAXIMUM ACTIVITY | CELESTIAL POSITION | ENTRY VELOCITY | CULMINATION | HOURLY RATE | CLASS |
| RA (RA in Deg.) DEC | Km/Sec | Local Standard Time | North-South | |||
| Southern chi Orionids (ORS) | Nov 28 | 05:56 (089) +19 | 25 | 01:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| Anthelion (ANT) | – | 06:20 (095) +23 | 30 | 01:00 | 3 – 2 | II |
| Monocerotids (MON) | Dec 10 | 06:52 (103) +08 | 41 | 02:00 | 2 – 2 | II |
| Geminids (GEM) | Dec 13 | 07:36 (114) +32 | 32 | 02:00 | 50 – 20 | I |
| sigma Hydrids (HYD) | Dec 07 | 08:44 (131) +01 | 58 | 03:00 | 2 – 2 | II |
| kappa Velids (KVE) | Dec 14 | 08:48 (132) -46 | 43 | 03:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| eta Hydrids (EHY) | Dec 08 | 09:08 (137) +01 | 62 | 04:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| Comae Berenicids (COM) | Dec 19 | 10:24 (156) +33 | 63 | 05:00 | 2 – 1 | II |
| December chi Virginids (XVI) | Dec 14 | 12:44 (191) -10 | 68 | 07:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| Ursids (URS) | Dec 22 | 13:08 (197) +77 | 36 | 08:00 | <1 – <1 | I |
| December sigma Virginids (DSV) | Dec 23 | 13:24 (201) +06 | 66 | 08:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| December alpha Bootes (DAB) | Dec 14 | 14:08 (212) +22 | 69 | 09:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
You can keep track of the activity of these meteor showers as well as those beyond the limits of visual observing by visiting the NASA Meteor Shower Portal. You can move the sky globe to see different areas of the sky. Colored dots indicate shower meteors while white dots indicate sporadic (random) activity. The large orange disk indicates the position of the sun so little activity will be seen in that area of the sky.
Class Explanation: A scale to group meteor showers by their intensity:
- Class I: the strongest annual showers with Zenith Hourly Rates normally ten or better.
- Class II: reliable minor showers with ZHR’s normally two to ten.
- Class III: showers that do not provide annual activity. These showers are rarely active yet have the potential to produce a major display on occasion.
- Class IV: weak minor showers with ZHR’s rarely exceeding two. The study of these showers is best left to experienced observers who use plotting and angular velocity estimates to determine shower association. These weak showers are also good targets for video and photographic work. Observers with less experience are urged to limit their shower associations to showers with a rating of I to III.
