Galleries

Meteor Shower Galleries

Every major shower gets its own gallery — different radiants, different speeds, different personalities in the sky. Pick a shower and see what the desert skies have given up so far.

A bright meteor trail cutting through the dawn starry sky

Perseids

August's summer classic

Mid-July through late August · 50–75 meteors per hour from a dark site

Concentric star trails recorded over a long exposure

Geminids

December's rich and reliable show

December 4–20 · Up to 120 meteors per hour from a dark site

A lone tree silhouetted under the Milky Way in the desert

Leonids

Fast streaks from the heart of Leo

November 6–30 · About 15 meteors per hour from a dark site

A bright fireball glowing over a dark night landscape

Taurids

Slow, stubborn fireballs

Late October through early December · Only about 5 per hour — but many are fireballs

A meteor streaking across the Milky Way leaving a glowing trail

Eta Aquariids

Halley's dust, burning at dawn

April 19 through May 28 · 40–60 meteors per hour from southern latitudes

An astronomer with a telescope silhouetted beneath a starry sky

Orionids

Quiet, steady October nights

October 2 through November 7 · 15–20 meteors per hour from a dark site

The Milky Way above a saguaro cactus in the Sonoran desert at night

Lyrids

April's swift, sparse sparks

April 14–30 · About 18 meteors per hour, with occasional surprises

A meteor shower over a snow-covered mountain at night

Ursids

A quiet shower at the solstice

December 17–26 · About 5–10 meteors per hour from a dark site

Countless faint stars and the Milky Way over a wide desert plain at night

Minor Showers

The quiet nights between the big shows

Year-round · A handful per hour, sometimes less