The peak night in Honolulu
Draconids, night of October 7 – 8. Every number below is computed for Honolulu’s exact coordinates and clock — not copied from a generic almanac.
Computed 2026-08-21 · times shown for Pacific/Honolulu
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 Honolulu, with the radiant topping out at 45.7° and the moon at 4%, here is the honest hourly range by where you stand:
The radiant over Honolulu, 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 Honolulu
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 Honolulu
Ranked by how good each one will actually look from Honolulu this year — radiant altitude, moon, and rate all factored in.
- DraconidsAn evening shower with rare stormsOctober 8, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- OrionidsBright autumn meteors from HalleyOctober 20, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- TauridsThe Halloween fireballsNovember 5, 2026PeakFairVisibility
- LeonidsThe fastest meteors of allNovember 17, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- GeminidsThe best shower of the yearDecember 13, 2026PeakExcellentVisibility
- UrsidsA quiet solstice showerDecember 22, 2026PeakPoorVisibility
- QuadrantidsA brief, sharp new-year peakJanuary 3, 2027PeakGoodVisibility
- LyridsThe oldest recorded showerApril 22, 2027PeakPoorVisibility
- Eta AquariidsFast dawn meteors from Halley's CometMay 5, 2027PeakFairVisibility
- Southern Delta AquariidsA steady stream through late JulyJuly 29, 2027PeakFairVisibility
- PerseidsThe Northern Hemisphere's favouriteAugust 12, 2027PeakFairVisibility
Why the view from Honolulu is different
Honolulu sits at 21°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 Honolulu, month by month
The whole year from Honolulu’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 Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quadrantids | January 3, 2027 | 14% | Good |
| February | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| March | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| April | Lyrids | April 22, 2027 | 96% | Poor |
| May | Eta Aquariids | May 5, 2027 | 0% | Fair |
| June | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| July | Southern Delta Aquariids | July 29, 2027 | 13% | Fair |
| August | Perseids | August 12, 2027 | 84% | Fair |
| September | Quiet — sporadic meteors only | |||
| October | Orionids | October 20, 2026 | 75% | Poor |
| November | Leonids | November 17, 2026 | 51% | Poor |
| December | Geminids | December 13, 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 Honolulu and this year’s geometry — not copied from a fixed almanac that ages badly.
Second, latitude is destiny. From 21°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 Honolulu’s rooftops. When the table disagrees with a headline, trust the table — it knows where you live.
Where to watch near Honolulu
For the Draconids, the radiant climbs the north-northwest sky over Honolulu and tops out at 45.7°, 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 Honolulu
Point the camera 40–60° away from the radiant — north-northwest of Honolulu 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 Honolulu
From Honolulu the sky keeps improving for about 18 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.
- Dillingham Airfield46 km northwest · sky glow 1% of the city centre
The Hawaiian Astronomical Society runs its dark-sky star parties here on the North Shore around new moon, with escorted gate access — you must be through the west gate before 6 pm.
- Kahala Community Park9 km east-southeast · sky glow 26% of the city centre
The astronomy society's in-town monthly public star party site on the east side, roughly 6:15–10 pm — bright city skies, but organised, free and easy to reach without a drive.
Measured from: VIIRS VNL 2025 (Earth Observation Group)
Reading the numbers — More on this in the guide
Common questions about Honolulu
When is the next meteor shower in Honolulu?+
The Draconids, peaking on the night of October 7, 2026 local time.
What's the best meteor shower to watch from Honolulu this year?+
The Geminids — its radiant climbs highest above Honolulu'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 Honolulu?+
During the Draconids peak, expect roughly 1–3 meteors an hour from Honolulu’s suburbs, 1–1 from the bright city core, and 4–8 under a properly dark sky within driving distance. The gap is light pollution, not the shower.
Where in the sky should I look from Honolulu?+
Face roughly north-northwest. The Draconids radiant stands highest over Honolulu around 19:26, reaching 45.7° — but don’t stare straight at it: the longest trails appear 40–60° to either side.
Will the moon spoil the Draconids from Honolulu?+
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 Honolulu 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 Honolulu specifically — what’s falling, the best window, and whether the clouds will allow any of it.
How many meteor showers can you see from Honolulu?+
Of the eleven major annual showers, 11 are visible from Honolulu'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 Honolulu 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.
