All the meteor showers visible from the UK in 2025

Around 30 major showers light up the night sky and are visible from Earth every year
-Credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire


There are many meteor showers throughout the year that stargazers are able to enjoy. Around 30 major showers light up the night sky and are visible from Earth every year. Most showers happen around the same time every year as our planet passes through the debris trails of comets.

Meteor showers are a permanent fixture on astronomers' calendars because of their reliability. Most showers can be easily visible with the naked eye without the need for any specialist equipment. They are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear in the sky.

Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons (44 tonnes or 44,000 kilograms) of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day. Almost all the material is vaporized in Earth’s atmosphere, leaving a bright trail fondly called “shooting stars.” Several meteors per hour can usually be seen on any given night. When the number increases dramatically, these events are called meteor showers.

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE: NASA makes 'unlike anything we've seen before' Mars discovery

READ MORE: Sky Q box customers will notice change to service this month

Every meteor shower has a progenitor Comet – the place where the debris cloud has come from. An example is Halley’s Comet which orbits the Sun every 76 years and is the 'progenitor' of the Orionids.

When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors. The meteor shower dates for 2025 are below:

Meteor Shower calendar

  • Lyrids: April 16-25. This will bring bright fast meteors, some with trains.

  • Eta Aquariids: April 19 - May 28. There meteors will be low in the sky and are associated with Comet Halley

  • Alpha Capricornids: July 3 - August 15. Expect to see yellow slow fireballs

  • Delta Aquiariids: July 12 - August 23. Steady stream of meteors over several days

  • Perseids: July 17 - August 24. Many fast and bright meteors with trains

  • Dracnoids: October 6-10. Associated with Comet 21/P Giacobini-Zimmer

  • Orionids: October 2 - November 7. Fast with fine trains, associated with Comet Halley

  • Taurids: Southern September 10 - November 20/ Northern October 20 - December 10. Very slow meteors

  • Lenoids: November 6 - November 30. Fast bright meteors with fine trains. Associated with Comet Tempel-Tuttle

  • Geminids: December 4 - December 20. Plenty of bright meteors, few trains.

  • Ursids: December 17 - December 26. Sparse shower. Associated with comet 8P/Tuttle