Russia · 69° N

The next meteor shower over Murmansk is the Draconids.

Peak night is October 8, 2026.

Don't miss the next peak over Murmansk.

Free — one push the evening a shower peaks, and only when the sky is clear.

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Peak in Murmansk time
19:13
Radiant altitude
60.2°
Moon
4%
Visibility
Fair

The peak night in Murmansk

Draconids, night of October 8 – 9. Every number below is computed for Murmansk’s exact coordinates and clock — not copied from a generic almanac.

Computed 2026-08-21 · times shown for Europe/Moscow

Peak
19:13October 8 – 9
Dark window
20:59–04:12fully dark sky
Best window
20:30–04:30
Radiant
west · 60.2°
Moon
4%waning crescent
Peak rate (ZHR)
10/hr
Speed
20km/s
Radiant constellation
Draco

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 Murmansk, with the radiant topping out at 60.2° and the moon at 4%, here is the honest hourly range by where you stand:

City sky
1–2/hr
Suburbs
2–4/hr
Dark site
4–10/hr

The radiant over Murmansk, 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.

The radiant over Murmansk, hour by hour30°60°max 60° · 20:5920:5900:3504:12

Tonight over Murmansk

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 Murmansk

Ranked by how good each one will actually look from Murmansk this year — radiant altitude, moon, and rate all factored in.

Why the view from Murmansk is different

Murmansk sits at 69°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 Murmansk, month by month

The whole year from Murmansk’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.

MonthHeadline showerPeak nightMoon at peakFrom Murmansk
JanuaryQuadrantidsJanuary 3, 202714%Excellent
FebruaryQuiet — sporadic meteors only
MarchQuiet — sporadic meteors only
AprilLyridsApril 22, 202796%Poor
MayEta AquariidsMay 6, 20270%Poor
JuneQuiet — sporadic meteors only
JulySouthern Delta AquariidsJuly 30, 202713%Not visible
AugustPerseidsAugust 13, 202784%Poor
SeptemberQuiet — sporadic meteors only
OctoberOrionidsOctober 21, 202675%Poor
NovemberLeonidsNovember 17, 202651%Poor
DecemberGeminidsDecember 14, 202622%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 Murmansk and this year’s geometry — not copied from a fixed almanac that ages badly.

Second, latitude is destiny. From 69°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 Murmansk’s rooftops. When the table disagrees with a headline, trust the table — it knows where you live.

Where to watch near Murmansk

For the Draconids, the radiant climbs the west sky over Murmansk and tops out at 60.2°, 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.

More on this in the guide

Photographing meteors over Murmansk

Point the camera 40–60° away from the radiant — west of Murmansk 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.

More on this in the guide

Where to go from Murmansk

From Murmansk the sky keeps improving for about 12 km — that is where the glow around you falls to a twentieth of what it is over the city centre. Thirty kilometres out already puts you at roughly <1% of the city-centre glow, so an evening drive genuinely changes what you can see.

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.

  • Териберка
    85 km east-northeast · sky glow 1% of the city centre

    The Barents Sea village 2.5-3 hours' drive from Murmansk is the region's standard night-sky destination, with open sea horizon, guesthouses and glampings that expect people to be outside after dark.

    Source

  • Печенга
    98 km northwest · sky glow 7% of the city centre

    A settlement on the Barents Sea coast 138 km from Murmansk with no strong light sources, named by local guides as one of the better dark spots for night sky watching.

    Source

Measured from: VIIRS VNL 2025 (Earth Observation Group)

Reading the numbersMore on this in the guide

Common questions about Murmansk

When is the next meteor shower in Murmansk?+

The Draconids, peaking on the night of October 8, 2026 local time.

What's the best meteor shower to watch from Murmansk this year?+

The Quadrantids — its radiant climbs highest above Murmansk'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 Murmansk?+

During the Draconids peak, expect roughly 2–4 meteors an hour from Murmansk’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 Murmansk?+

Face roughly west. The Draconids radiant stands highest over Murmansk around 20:59, reaching 60.2° — but don’t stare straight at it: the longest trails appear 40–60° to either side.

Will the moon spoil the Draconids from Murmansk?+

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 Murmansk 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 Murmansk specifically — what’s falling, the best window, and whether the clouds will allow any of it.

How many meteor showers can you see from Murmansk?+

Of the eleven major annual showers, 10 are visible from Murmansk'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 Murmansk 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

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