The Draconid meteor shower usually happens each year in early October, with activity roughly from October 6–10 and a peak around the nights of October 8–9.

When it happens each year

  • The Draconids are an annual October meteor shower, typically active for a few days rather than just one night.
  • In most years, observers are told to watch around October 6–10 , with the strongest activity often expected on the evening of October 8 into the early hours of October 9.

Time of night to watch

  • Unlike many meteor showers that are best after midnight, the Draconids are often best in the early evening , just after full darkness, because the radiant in Draco is high then.
  • You do not need a telescope; just lie back somewhere dark, let your eyes adjust for 20–30 minutes, and watch a wide part of the sky.

What to expect

  • Typical years only give a low rate (a handful of meteors per hour), but the Draconids are famous for rare surprise outbursts with many more meteors.
  • The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Draco , but they can streak anywhere in the sky, so keep your gaze broad.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.