During this period, the moon’s phase will reach its first quarter phase on Monday January 26th. At that time, the moon will lie 90 degrees east of the sun and will set near 01:00. As the week progresses the waxing gibbous moon will enter the morning and will begin to affect morning meteor observers as it sets later with each passing night.
The estimated total hourly rates for evening observers this weekend should be near 3 as seen from mid-northern latitudes (45°N) and 3 as seen from tropical southern locations (25°S). For morning observers, the estimated total hourly rates should be near 11 as seen from mid-northern latitudes (45°N) and 11 as seen from tropical southern locations (25°S). Evening rates are reduced by moonlight.
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, January 3/4. 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 19:00 Local Standard Time
Radiant Positions at Midnight Local Standard Time
Radiant Positions at 05:00 Local Standard Time
These sources of meteoric activity are expected to be active this week
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The large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently centered at 09:12 (138) +16. This position lies in eastern Cancer, 4 degrees northeast of the 4th magnitude star known as Acubens (alpha Cancri). 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 alpha Antliids (AAN) were discovered by D. P. Galligan and W. J. Baggaley by using the Advanced Meteor Orbit Radar in New Zealand*. This very weak display is active from January 22 through February 6 with maximum activity occurring on February 1st. The radiant currently lies at 10:08 (152) -07. This position lies in southern Sextans, 5 degrees north of the 4th magnitude star known as lambda Hydrae. I’m not certain why these meteors were called alpha Antliids as this position lies 20 degrees north of the constellation of Antlia. These meteors are best seen near 0200 LST when the radiant lies highest above the southern horizon. At 44 km/sec. the alpha Antliids produce meteors of medium velocity. Expected rates this week are less than 1 per hour no matter your location.
*Gary Kronk, Meteor Showers-An Annotated Catalog, 2nd Edition Page 45
The January xi Ursae Majorids (XUM) were discovered by Japanese observers of SonotoCo based on video observations in 2007-2008. This shower is active from January 10-25, with maximum activity occurring on the 19th. The radiant is currently located at 11:32 (173) +30, which lies in southern Ursa Major, 4 degrees southeast of the 3rd magnitude star known as Alula Borealis (nu Ursae Majoris). These meteors are best seen near 03:00 LST when the radiant lies highest in the northern sky. Hourly rates are expected to be less than 1 no matter your location. These meteors encounter the atmosphere at 39 km/sec., which would produce meteors of medium velocity.
The omicron Hydrids (OHY) were discovered by Željko Andreić and the Croatian Meteor Network team based on studying SonotaCo and CMN observations. This shower is active from January 26 though February 8 with maximum activity occurring on February 1. The current position of the radiant lies at 11:32 (173) -32, which lies in central Hydra near the spot occupied by the 4th magnitude star known as xi Hydrae. These meteors are best seen near 03:00 LST when the radiant lies highest above the southern horizon. Hourly rates are expected to be less than 1 no matter your location. These meteors encounter the atmosphere at 58 km/sec., which would produce meteors of medium-fast velocity.
The Comae Berenicids (COM) are a long duration shower active from December 5th through February 4th. Maximum activity occurred on December 19th. The radiant is currently located at 12:52 (193) +15, which places it in southern Coma Berenices, 5 degrees northwest of the 3rd magnitude star known as Vindemiatrix (epsilon Virginis). These meteors would be best seen near 05:00 LST, when the radiant lies highest in the southern sky. Current rates should less than 1 no matter your location. At 63km/sec., these meteors would produce mostly swift meteors.
The iota Centaurids (ICN) were recently discovered by Dr. Peter Jenniskens from CAMS data. Tim Cooper (South Africa) reports that recent activity has occurred from January 21-26 from a radiant located near 13:18 (199) -39. This position is located in western central Centaurus, 2 degrees north of the 3rd magnitude star known as Kulou (iota Centauri). These meteors would be best seen near 05:00 LST, when the radiant lies highest in the southern sky. Current rates should less than 1 as seen from the northern hemisphere and perhaps near 1 per hour as see from south of the equator. At 64km/sec., these meteors would produce mostly swift meteors.
The alpha Coronae Borealids (ACB) was discovered by British researcher John Greaves (2012) using data from the SonotaCo. These meteors are active from January 26 through February 5th, with maximum activity occurring on January 27th. The radiant is located at 15:16 (229) +30, which lies in western Corona Borealis, 3 degrees south of the 3rd magnitude star known as delta Bootis. These meteors would be best seen in the eastern sky during the last dark hour prior to dawn. At 56km/sec., these meteors would produce medium-swift meteors.
The last of the gamma Ursae Minorids (GUM) are expected this weekend from a radiant located at 15:40 (235) +63, which places it western Draco, 4 degrees north of the 3rd magnitude star known as Edasich (iota Draconis) These meteors are best seen during the last few hours before dawn, when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky above the northern horizon. Current hourly rates should be near 1 as seen from the northern hemisphere. These meteors are not visible from the southern hemisphere. These meteors encounter the atmosphere at 30 km/sec., which would produce meteors of medium-slow velocity.
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 2 per hour. From tropical southern latitudes (25°S), morning rates would also be around 8 per hour and 2 per hour during the evening.
The list below provides information in tabular form 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 23 of the IMO’s 2026 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 January 24/25.
| 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 | |||
| Anthelion (ANT) | – | 09:12 (138) +16 | 30 | 01:00 | 3 – 2 | II |
| alpha Antliids (AAN) | Feb 01 | 10:08 (152) -07 | 44 | 02:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| January xi Ursae Majorids (XUM) | Jan 19 | 11:32 (173) +30 | 39 | 04:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| omicron Hydrids (OHY) | Feb 01 | 11:32 (173) -32 | 58 | 04:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| Comae Berenicids (COM) | Dec 19 | 12:52 (193) +15 | 63 | 05:00 | <1 – <1 | II |
| iota Centaurids (ICN) | Jan 23 | 13:18 (199) -39 | 64 | 05:00 | <1 – 1 | IV |
| alpha Coronae Borealids (ACB) | Jan 27 | 15:16 (229) +30 | 56 | 07:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
| gamma Ursid Minorids (GUM) | Jan 20 | 15:40 (235) +63 | 30 | 08:00 | <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.
