Meteor Activity Outlook for 15-21 November 2025

During this period, the Moon reaches its new phase on Thursday, November 20th. On that date, the moon will be located near the sun and will be invisible at night. This weekend the waning crescent moon will rise during the mid-morning hours but should not interfere with meteor observing as long as you keep it out of your field of view.

The estimated total hourly rates for evening observers this weekend should be near 3 as seen from mid-northern latitudes (45°N) and 2 as seen from tropical southern locations (25°S). For morning observers, the estimated total hourly rates should be near 14 as seen from mid-northern latitudes (45°N) and 8 as seen from tropical southern locations (25°S). Late morning rates are slightly reduced due to lunar interference.

The actual rates observed will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness, and experience in watching meteor activity. Note that the hourly rates listed below are estimates based on observations from dark-sky sites away from urban light sources. Observers viewing from urban areas will see less activity, as only the brighter meteors will be visible from such locations.

The radiant (the area of the sky from which meteors appear to originate) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning, November 15/16. These positions do not change greatly from day to day, so the listed coordinates may be used throughout this entire period. Most star atlases (available online, in bookstores, and at planetariums) include maps with celestial coordinate grids that can help you locate these positions in the sky.

I have also included charts of the sky that display the radiant positions for evening, midnight, and morning. The center of each chart represents the sky directly overhead at the corresponding hour. These charts are oriented for facing south but can be used for any direction by rotating them accordingly. A planisphere or planetarium app is also useful for showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year.

Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky (culmination), either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. Radiants that rise after midnight will not reach their highest point in the sky until daylight; therefore, it is best to view them during the last few hours of the night.

It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen directly at the radiant position. Rather, meteors shoot outward from the radiant, so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies near the edge rather than the center. Viewing in this way allows you to trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it belongs to a shower) or in another direction if it is sporadic. Meteor activity is not visible from radiants located far below the horizon.

The positions below are listed in west-to-east order by right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located farther west and are therefore accessible earlier in the night, while those listed farther down the list rise later.

These sources of meteoric activity are expected to be active this week

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The last of the Southern Taurids (STA) is expected this week from a radiant centered near 04:00 (060) +15. This area of the sky lies in western Taurus, 3 degrees north of the 3rd-magnitude star lambda Tauri. This radiant is best placed near 01:00 LST, when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the southern sky. Rates at this time should be near 1 per hour, regardless of location. With an entry velocity of 25 km/sec, the average STA meteor would also be of medium-slow velocity.

The Northern Taurids (NTA) are active from a wide radiant located at 04:08 (062) +24. This area of the sky lies in western Taurus, 5 degrees northwest of 4^th magnitude star known gamma Tauri. To best see these meteors, observers should face southward near 01:00 LST. To differentiate between the Northern and Southern Taurids, face toward these radiants, as they lie close together in the sky. Rates at this time should be near 2 per hour, as seen from the northern hemisphere and 1 as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 27 km/sec, the average NTA meteor would be of medium-slow velocity.

The November Orionids (NOO) are active from November 13 through December 12, with maximum activity occurring on November 30^th. The radiant is currently located at 05:36 (084) +16. This area of the sky lies on the Orion/Taurus border, 5 degrees north of the 3rd magnitude star known as Bellatrix (lambda Orionis). This radiant is best placed in the southern sky near 0200 LST, when it lies highest above the northern horizon. Rates should be less than 1 no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 45 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of medium speed.

The alpha Monocerotids (AMO) are best known for their occasional outbursts, the last which occurred in 2019. These meteors are active from 13-27 November with maximum occurring on the 22nd. Rates away from the night of maximum are very low, far less than 1 per hour no matter your location. The radiant is currently located at 07:48 (117) +00. This area of the sky is located on the Canis Minor/Monoceros border, 5 degrees southeast of the zero-magnitude star known as Procyon (alpha Canis Minoris A). To best see these meteors, face toward the south during the last hours prior to dawn. With an entry velocity of 61km/sec, most of these meteors would appear swift.

The Leonids (LEO) are active from October 27 to December 7 with maximum activity occurring on November 17^th. The radiant is currently located at 10:00 (150) +23. This position lies in northwestern Leo, 3 degrees west of the 3rd magnitude star known as Adhafera (zeta Leonis). The Leonid radiant is best placed in the eastern sky during the last hour before morning twilight when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Leonids may be seen from the southern hemisphere, but the viewing conditions are not quite as favorable as those north of the equator. Current rates are expected to be 5 per hour as seen from the northern hemisphere and 3 per hour as seen south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 70 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of swift speed with numerous persistent trains on the brighter meteors.

Sporadic meteors are those that cannot be associated with any known meteor shower. All meteor showers evolve and disperse over time until they are no longer recognizable. Away from the peaks of major annual showers, these sporadic meteors make up the bulk of the activity seen each night.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45°N), one would expect to see approximately 12 sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn, from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near 3 per hour. From tropical southern latitudes (25°S), morning rates would be around 8 per hour and 2 per hour during the evening. Locations between these two extremes would experience activity between these figures. Late morning rates are slightly reduced due to moonlight.

The list below provides tabular information on the active showers that are within reach of the visual observer to discern. Rates and positions in the table are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning November 15/16.

Class Explanation: A scale to group meteor showers by their intensity:

• Class I: the strongest annual showers with Zenith Hourly Rates normally ten or better.
• Class II: reliable minor showers with ZHR’s normally two to ten.
• Class III: showers that do not provide annual activity. These showers are rarely active yet have the potential to produce a major display on occasion.
• Class IV: weak minor showers with ZHR’s rarely exceeding two. The study of these showers is best left to experienced observers who use plotting and angular velocity estimates to determine shower association. These weak showers are also good targets for video and photographic work. Observers with less experience are urged to limit their shower associations to showers with a rating of I to III.