Astro-Observer

Meteor showers

Leonis Minorid Meteor Shower

By Astro-Observer · Last reviewed November 8, 2026

Active
October 19 – October 27
Peak
Around October 24–25
Peak rate (ZHR)
2
Radiant
Leo Minor (10h 48m, +37°)
Speed
62 km/s (fast)
Parent comet
C/1739 K1 (Zanotti)
Best seen from
Northern Hemisphere
Best time
After midnight, best in the hours before dawn

Next peaks

Expected peak (UTC)Moon at peakMoonlight
October 25, 2027, around 0h Waning crescent, 25% lit Little or none
October 24, 2028, around 7h Waxing crescent, 41% lit Some

Computed from the shower's peak solar longitude (λ☉ 211°). 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 Leonis Minorids are one of the quiet showers of autumn. For about a week in late October, a thin trickle of fast meteors comes from Leo Minor, a dim constellation between Leo and the Big Dipper. Even at the peak, expect only one or two an hour from a dark site.

Where the meteors come from

The IAU Meteor Data Center links the shower to comet C/1739 K1 (Zanotti), seen in 1739; the International Meteor Organization does not name a parent. The "C/" in the name marks a non-periodic comet, observed on only one trip past the Sun. Its dust still crosses Earth's path each October and strikes the atmosphere at about 62 km/s.

When to watch

The shower runs from October 19 to 27, with the peak around October 24. The table above gives the expected time and the Moon. From mid-northern latitudes the radiant rises in the northeast around midnight, so the last two hours before dawn, when it is highest, are best.

How to find the radiant

Leo Minor has no bright stars, so use its neighbors. Before dawn, find the bowl of the Big Dipper in the northeast and the Sickle of Leo, the backward question mark of the Lion's head, in the east. The radiant lies roughly halfway between Merak, the bottom outer star of the Dipper's bowl, and Algieba, the brightest star of the Sickle after Regulus.

What to expect

With a ZHR of about 2, a dark rural sky gives one or two meteors an hour at best, and from the suburbs you may see none. They are fast, quick streaks. A population index of 3.0 means most are faint, so a truly dark sky matters more than usual.

Viewing tips

  • Count this shower as a bonus during any pre-dawn session in late October.
  • Late-October mornings are cold and often damp, so dress warmly.
  • Face east, look about halfway up, and keep the radiant off to one side of your view.
  • Trace each fast meteor back: if it leads between Leo and the Dipper, it is probably a Leonis Minorid.
  • Skip it under a bright Moon; faint showers vanish first.

History and notable displays

The Leonis Minorids are a minor shower, followed mainly by experienced observers and video camera networks. No notable outbursts are recorded.

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.