How, when, and where to see every meteor shower in the U.S. for the Winter 2022 Season
Photo Credit: Michal Manciewicz
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Editor's Note: This article, originally published on August 2nd, has been updated on November 3rd, 2021, to reflect a current schedule of meteor showers for the Winter 2021-2022 season. We'll be updating this post every few months to provide you with the most relevant information regarding upcoming sky events worth staying up late for!
Meteor showers are some of the most exciting and breathtaking sky events you can witness - but if you’re not careful, they can be easy to miss! That’s why we at Pathloom decided to put together a comprehensive list of every meteor shower that will be occurring for the Winter 2021-2022 season. We're also including Comet Leonard which, according to earthsky.org, could be the brightest comet to grace the night sky this year! Get your cameras, binoculars, and/or telescopes ready!
Viewing conditions vary around the world, and some meteor showers are much more visible from the Southern Hemisphere. However, at this point in our company’s lifecycle the overwhelming majority of Pathloom’s community is US-based, so we tried to list the best locations to view each shower domestically. We hope to provide a more international perspective in coming years, but for now we’ll focus on our local readership.
Photo Credit: Kristopher Roller
So mark your calendars and get trip planning! Remember that you’ll only need to find a location without much light pollution, and arrive with enough time to find a good view of the sky to see something truly beautiful. You can use this tool to find the best places to stargaze near you - and if you’re new to stargazing, check out our article on planetary conjunctions for a more comprehensive look on how to view constellations! Remember, meteor showers are typically named after the constellations that they appear closest to, so for the most ideal views find that constellation and set your sights there. Good luck, and don’t forget to make a wish!
Southern Taurids
Dates Active: September 28th - December 2nd
Next Peak for Viewing: November 4th - 5th
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Anywhere on Earth!
Northern Taurids
Dates Active: October 13th - December 2nd
Next Peak for Viewing: November 11th - 12th
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Anywhere on Earth!
Perseids Meteor Shower - Photo Credit: Prokhor Minin
Leonids
Dates Active: November 3rd - December 2nd
Next Peak for Viewing: November 16th - 18th
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Anywhere in the US!
Lunar Eclipse
Dates Active: November 18th - November 19th
Next Peak for Viewing: Early AM, November 19th
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Anywhere in North America!
Comet Leonard
Dates Active: December 2021 - January 2022
Next Peak for Viewing: December 12th
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Anywhere in the US!
Photo Credit: Daniel Mayo
Geminids
Dates Active: November 19th - December 24th
Next Peak for Viewing: December 13th - 14th
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Anywhere on Earth!
Ursids
Dates Active: December 13th - December 24th
Next Peak for Viewing: December 21st - 22nd
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Anywhere in the US!
Quadrantids
Dates Active: December 26th, 2021 - January 16th, 2022
Next Peak for Viewing: January 2 - 3, 2022
Best Area for Viewing in U.S.: Northern United States
Photo Credit: Jonathan Forage
We'll update this guide again in Spring 2022 when meteor season starts up again, beginning with the Lyrids on April 15th! Bookmark the Pathloom Blog for this and other great outdoors-related content released each and every week, and visit Pathloom.com to sign up for the BETA version of our all-inclusive outdoor travel planning app!
Do you have any great night sky photography you'd like to share with us? Send a photo to blog@pathloom.com, or connect with us on Social Media for a chance to be featured in an upcoming post!
Pathloom Intern Justine Imburgio majors in Secondary Education and English at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Look for more of Justine's writing in the Pathloom blog in the summertime!
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