The Draconid meteor shower is active from October 6 to 10, 2026, and peaks on October 9, according to the Royal Observatory Greenwich. In North America, the best viewing is the evening of Thursday, October 8, after nightfall.
Unlike most meteor showers, the Draconids are best seen in the evening rather than before dawn, because the shower’s radiant in the constellation Draco is highest in the sky at nightfall. Expect up to about 10 meteors per hour under dark skies, and the 2026 peak falls near a new moon, so moonlight should not wash out fainter meteors. The meteors come from debris left by comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
Source: Royal Observatory Greenwich, “When and where to see the Draconid meteor shower”.
Image: Draconid meteor shower watch, photo by john.purvis, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.