Twelve peaks, in date order, each with the fraction of the Moon lit at the peak instant. 6 of the twelve fall under a Moon less than half lit — those are the nights worth keeping free.
"Usable" means the Moon is less than half lit at the peak instant. The filter is a checkbox and a CSS rule — no JavaScript, and no hidden scoring.
| Peak (UTC) | Shower | Weekday | Moon | ZHR | Radiant dec | Best from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | Saturday | 100% full Moon | 110 | +49.8° | North | |
| April Lyrids | Wednesday | 36% first quarter | 18 | +33.4° | North | |
| eta-Aquariids | Wednesday | 81% waning gibbous | 50 | −0.5° | Both | |
| Southern delta-Aquariids | Friday | 96% full Moon | 25 | −16.1° | Both | |
| Perseids | Thursday | 0% new Moon | 100 | +57.9° | North | |
| October Draconids | Friday | 3% new Moon | 5 | +55.9° | North | |
| Orionids | Wednesday | 79% waxing gibbous | 20 | +15.7° | Both | |
| Southern Taurids | Thursday | 12% waning crescent | 7 | +13.9° | Both | |
| Northern Taurids | Thursday | 11% waxing crescent | 5 | +22.8° | Both | |
| Leonids | Tuesday | 55% first quarter | 12.5 | +21.8° | Both | |
| Geminids | Monday | 25% waxing crescent | 150 | +32.3° | North | |
| Ursids | Tuesday | 98% full Moon | 10 | +75.8° | North |
Peak instants are solved from each shower's tabulated solar longitude of maximum, referenced to the J2000 equinox, and are given in UTC — convert to your own clock before setting an alarm. The peak is an instant, not a night: the useful night is usually the one whose small hours contain it.
Strongest showers among those with a usable Moon. Rate matters, but a Moon you cannot escape matters more.
Peaks 14 December 2026 · active 4 December – 20 December
This year that means a mostly dark sky — a crescent Moon that is up for part of the night at most.
Peaks 13 August 2026 · active 17 July – 24 August
This year that means a dark sky — the Moon is close to new and takes almost nothing away.
Peaks 22 April 2026 · active 14 April – 30 April
This year that means a mostly dark sky — a crescent Moon that is up for part of the night at most.
Only months with a shower actually active get a page. February, March, June have no major shower active at all, and a page saying so would be a page for the sake of a page.
One email seven days before a peak so you can keep the night free, and one on the evening itself with the verdict for your location. If your sky is going to be hopeless that night, the second email tells you the next good night instead of pretending otherwise.