Germany · 51° N
The next meteor shower over Cologne is the Draconids.
Peak night is October 8, 2026.
Don't miss the next peak over Cologne.
Free — one push the evening a shower peaks, and only when the sky is clear.
The peak night in Cologne
Draconids, night of October 8 – 9. Every number below is computed for Cologne’s exact coordinates and clock — not copied from a generic almanac.
Computed 2026-08-21 · times shown for Europe/Berlin
Sources: International Meteor Organization · IAU Meteor Data Center · astronomy-engine v2.1.19
How many meteors you’ll actually count
ZHR 10 is the laboratory number. From Cologne, with the radiant topping out at 63.8° and the moon at 4%, here is the honest hourly range by where you stand:
The radiant over Cologne, hour by hour
How high the Draconids radiant climbs through the peak night. The higher it gets, the more of the shower clears the horizon — plan your session around the gold marker.
Tonight over Cologne
A live check for the coming night: what’s falling, when it’s worth being outside, and whether the weather will let you see any of it.
Computing tonight’s sky…
This year's meteor showers from Cologne
Ranked by how good each one will actually look from Cologne this year — radiant altitude, moon, and rate all factored in.
- DraconidsAn evening shower with rare stormsOctober 8, 2026PeakFairVisibility
- OrionidsBright autumn meteors from HalleyOctober 21, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- TauridsThe Halloween fireballsNovember 5, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- LeonidsThe fastest meteors of allNovember 17, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- GeminidsThe best shower of the yearDecember 14, 2026PeakExcellentVisibility
- UrsidsA quiet solstice showerDecember 22, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- QuadrantidsA brief, sharp new-year peakJanuary 3, 2027PeakExcellentVisibility
- LyridsThe oldest recorded showerApril 22, 2027PeakPoorVisibility
- Eta AquariidsFast dawn meteors from Halley's CometMay 6, 2027PeakNot visibleVisibility
- Southern Delta AquariidsA steady stream through late JulyJuly 30, 2027PeakPoorVisibility
- PerseidsThe Northern Hemisphere's favouriteAugust 13, 2027PeakFairVisibility
Why the view from Cologne is different
Cologne sits at 51°N. Showers with a far-northern radiant climb high overhead here, while some southern-sky showers barely clear the horizon or don't rise at all.
Meteor showers in Cologne, month by month
The whole year from Cologne’s latitude at a glance — each month’s headline shower, its peak night, and how the moon treats it. Quiet months are shown honestly: part of the sky’s calendar is simply empty, and knowing that saves you cold nights.
| Month | Headline shower | Peak night | Moon at peak | From Cologne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quadrantids | January 3, 2027 | 14% | Excellent |
| February | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| March | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| April | Lyrids | April 22, 2027 | 96% | Poor |
| May | Eta Aquariids | May 6, 2027 | 0% | Not visible |
| June | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| July | Southern Delta Aquariids | July 30, 2027 | 13% | Poor |
| August | Perseids | August 13, 2027 | 84% | Fair |
| September | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| October | Orionids | October 21, 2026 | 75% | Poor |
| November | Leonids | November 17, 2026 | 51% | Poor |
| December | Geminids | December 14, 2026 | 22% | Excellent |
Two patterns in the table are worth a second look. First, the moon column reshuffles the year every year: a shower that fought a full moon last season may get a black sky this one. That is why the ratings above are computed fresh for Cologne and this year’s geometry — not copied from a fixed almanac that ages badly.
Second, latitude is destiny. From 51°N, some radiants simply ride higher than others ever can, and a modest shower with a well-placed radiant will quietly outperform a famous one that never clears Cologne’s rooftops. When the table disagrees with a headline, trust the table — it knows where you live.
Where to watch near Cologne
For the Draconids, the radiant climbs the west-northwest sky over Cologne and tops out at 63.8°, so pick a spot where that direction is open to the horizon. Then look slightly away from it — trails appear longest 40–60° to either side of the radiant. Give your eyes twenty minutes to adapt, keep the phone dim, and dress a season warmer than the forecast suggests: meteor watching is sitting still outdoors at night.
Photographing meteors over Cologne
Point the camera 40–60° away from the radiant — west-northwest of Cologne on the peak night — so the trails cross your frame at their longest. Keep some foreground in shot: a treeline or a skyline anchors the picture. Moonlight is the main spoiler; with the moon at 4% on the Draconids peak, the sky is yours — expose freely.
Where to go from Cologne
Direction matters as much as distance. At the same range the sky south of the city sits at about 4% of the centre, while north is still 29% — the same drive, several times the difference.
Where people actually go
Places near here that people genuinely use for meteor watching — dark-sky parks, observatories with public evenings, campgrounds where staying out all night is allowed. Each one was checked against what its manager publishes, because a park being dark and a park being open at 2 a.m. are two different facts.
- Vogelsang IP53 km southwest · sky glow 5% of the city centre
The Astronomie-Werkstatt "Sterne ohne Grenzen" runs an observatory here with regular public night-sky observations, at one of the darkest points of the Eifel dark-sky park.
- Radioteleskop Effelsberg47 km south · sky glow 5% of the city centre
One of the ten official SternenBlick stargazing points around the Eifel dark-sky park; the regional tourist board states the Eifel night sky can be viewed at any time once it is dark.
- Weißer Stein, Hellenthal72 km southwest · sky glow 2% of the city centre
Another of the official SternenBlick points, on open high ground in the darkest corner of the Eifel and equipped for stargazing on your own.
Measured from: VIIRS VNL 2025 (Earth Observation Group)
Reading the numbers — More on this in the guide
Common questions about Cologne
When is the next meteor shower in Cologne?+
The Draconids, peaking on the night of October 8, 2026 local time.
What's the best meteor shower to watch from Cologne this year?+
The Quadrantids — its radiant climbs highest above Cologne's horizon this year with the least moonlight in the way, so it's the best bet for peak rates.
How many meteors will I actually see from Cologne?+
During the Draconids peak, expect roughly 2–4 meteors an hour from Cologne’s suburbs, 1–2 from the bright city core, and 4–10 under a properly dark sky within driving distance. The gap is light pollution, not the shower.
Where in the sky should I look from Cologne?+
Face roughly west-northwest. The Draconids radiant stands highest over Cologne around 20:44, reaching 63.8° — but don’t stare straight at it: the longest trails appear 40–60° to either side.
Will the moon spoil the Draconids from Cologne?+
On the peak night the moon is 4% lit (waning crescent). Dark enough that moonlight won’t be the limiting factor — sky quality and clouds will decide your night.
Is anything visible from Cologne tonight, before the peak?+
Usually yes. Showers run for days to weeks around their maximum, and the sporadic background adds a few meteors an hour on any dark night. The “Tonight” panel above computes the coming night for Cologne specifically — what’s falling, the best window, and whether the clouds will allow any of it.
How many meteor showers can you see from Cologne?+
Of the eleven major annual showers, 10 are visible from Cologne's latitude this year, though cloud cover and moonlight decide how many meteors you'll actually count on any given night.
Do I need to leave Cologne to see a meteor shower?+
You don't need to, but it helps a lot. City light pollution washes out all but the brightest meteors — driving even 30–45 minutes to a darker sky can turn a handful of sightings into dozens.
Meteor showers in nearby cities
Get alerts for Cologne
We'll tell you the evening a shower is worth watching from Cologne — and only when the sky is actually clear.