Astro-Observer

Meteor showers

Alpha Centaurid Meteor Shower

By Astro-Observer · Last reviewed November 8, 2026

Active
January 31 – February 20
Peak
Around February 8–9
Peak rate (ZHR)
Variable (usually about 6)
Radiant
Centaurus (14h 04m, −58°)
Speed
58 km/s (fast)
Best seen from
Southern Hemisphere
Best time
Late evening onward, best in the hours before dawn

Next peaks

Expected peak (UTC)Moon at peakMoonlight
February 8, 2027, around 18h Waxing crescent, 4% lit Little or none
February 9, 2028, around 0h Waxing gibbous, 96% lit Bright Moon

IMO gives the maximum as February 8 or perhaps later. The timing is uncertain, and activity has also been reported in mid-February.

Computed from the shower's peak solar longitude (λ☉ 319.4°). Real peaks can come a few hours early or late, and you will see meteors on the nights either side. The peak hour may be in daylight where you are; watch the darkest hours of the nearest night.

The Alpha Centaurids are a February shower for the Southern Hemisphere, with a radiant beside the two bright Pointer stars that lead to the Southern Cross. Most years are quiet, but the shower has surprised observers with short bursts.

Where the meteors come from

No parent is known. The IAU Meteor Data Center lists none and does not yet count the shower as established, and IMO notes that visual and video observers have not clearly detected it in recent years.

When to watch

Activity runs from about January 31 to February 20, with a maximum around February 8, or perhaps later. The table above shows the expected peak and the Moon. For southern observers the radiant is up from late evening and highest before dawn, the best time to watch.

How to find the radiant

Start with the Southern Cross. Beside it are the Pointers, Alpha and Beta Centauri (Hadar). The radiant is a couple of degrees north of Hadar, the Pointer nearer the Cross. Face south and look high: from about 35°S the radiant is about 65 degrees up before dawn. From mid-northern latitudes (about 40°N) it never rises; you need to be south of about 30°N to see it at all.

What to expect

In a normal year the ZHR is about 6. With the radiant high before dawn, expect three or four meteors an hour from a dark southern site and one or two from the suburbs. The meteors are fast, at 58 km/s, and the low population index (r = 2.0) means a good share are bright.

Viewing tips

  • Southern summer nights are mild; bring insect repellent.
  • Face south toward the Pointers and look about halfway up.
  • Bursts are short and their timing uncertain, so watch on several mornings into mid-February.
  • Report your counts to IMO; coverage of this shower has often been patchy.

History and notable displays

The shower is mainly known from 1974 and 1980, when bursts of a few hours apparently reached ZHRs of 20 to 30. From 1988 to 2007 the average peak ZHR was only about 6. Activity was recorded from an aircraft on February 14, 2015, but a predicted outburst on February 8 that year was not confirmed. An outburst on February 13–15, 2021, attributed to the Gamma Crucids, may have been a return of the Alpha Centaurids.

About the numbers. The ZHR (zenithal hourly rate) is how many meteors one observer would see in an hour under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant straight overhead. Real counts are almost always lower: under suburban skies, or with the radiant low, expect a half to a quarter of it, or less.

Sources

Checked November 8, 2026.