Peaks January 3–4
Next peak: January 4, 2027 · up to ~120 meteors/hour from Boötes.
One of the strongest annual showers, but with a famously sharp peak that lasts only a few hours — miss the window and the rates collapse. The meteors are medium-speed and often produce bright fireballs. Its parent, the asteroid 2003 EH1, is thought to be a dormant comet.
Timing is everything: the narrow peak means you must observe during the predicted maximum, ideally in the dark hours before dawn with the radiant high in the northern sky.
You don't need a telescope or binoculars — meteor showers are best enjoyed with the naked eye and the widest view of the sky you can find. Get well away from city lights, give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adapt to the dark, dress warmly, and look up. The meteors can appear anywhere; they only trace back to the radiant in Boötes.
The meteors streak out from the constellation Boötes — find it, and you've found the radiant.