Meteor Activity Outlook for 6-12 June 2026

As seen from the Northern Hemisphere, June is another slow month for meteor activity. There are no major showers active in June and only the Anthelion source can be counted on for continuous activity. Sporadic rates continue to remain low as seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45 N) with only half the rates that are seen from the mid-southern hemisphere. For the upper half of the Northern Hemisphere the nights are short to non-existent this time of year. As seen from the southern tropics (25 S) sporadic rates continue to be strong this month with morning hourly rates near 10.

During this period the moon will reach its last quarter phase on Monday June 8th. At that time the moon will rise near 01:00 local summer time (LST) and will cause interference for meteor observers the remainder of the night. One can minimize the lunar glare by facing in the opposite direction with the moon at your back. As the week progresses, the moon will become less of a program as its phase wanes, and it rises later in the morning.

This weekend evening observers can expect total hourly rates of 3 from mid-northern latitudes (45°N) and near 4 from tropical southern locations (25°S). Morning observers may see rates near 5 from mid-northern latitudes and near 9 from tropical southern locations. Morning rates are reduced by interfering moonlight during this period.

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, June 6/7. 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 towards 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 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.

The following sources of meteoric activity are expected to be active this week:

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The center of the large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 17:56 (269) -23. This position lies in western Sagittarius, 8 degrees east of the 3rd magnitude tar known as theta Ophiuchi. This radiant is best placed near 01:00 LST, when it lies on the meridian is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be less than 1 per hour as seen from the Northern Hemisphere and near 2 as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec, the average Anthelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

The Daytime Arietids (ARI) are expected to be active this week from a radiant located at 02:52 (043) +24. This position lies in eastern Aries, 3 degrees south of the 4th magnitude star known as 41 Arietis. This position is also approximately 45 degrees west of the sun; therefore these meteors are only visible just before the break of dawn. Face toward the eastern half of the sky to see these meteors shoot upward from the eastern horizon. Hourly rates at this time are expected to be less than 1. With an entry velocity of 42 km/sec., the average meteor from this source would have a medium velocity.  This is the strongest daylight shower of the year and radio observers always look forward to the second week of June when it reaches maximum activity.

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, sporadic meteors make up the bulk of the activity seen each night.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45°N), one can expect to see approximately 4 sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near 2 per hour. From tropical southern latitudes (25°S), morning rates would be around 7 per hour and evening rates near 3 per hour.                                                   

The list below provides information in tabular form on active showers within reach of the visual observer.

Rates and positions in the table are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning June 6/7.

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.