Astro-Observer

Meteor showers

November Orionid Meteor Shower

By Astro-Observer · Last reviewed November 8, 2026

Active
November 13 – December 6
Peak
Around November 28
Peak rate (ZHR)
3
Radiant
Orion (6h 04m, +16°)
Speed
44 km/s (medium)
Best seen from
Both hemispheres
Best time
Late evening to dawn, best around 2 a.m. when the radiant is highest

Next peaks

Expected peak (UTC)Moon at peakMoonlight
November 28, 2026, around 14h Waning gibbous, 79% lit Bright Moon
November 28, 2027, around 20h New Moon, 1% lit Little or none

Computed from the shower's peak solar longitude (λ☉ 246°). 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 November Orionids are a small shower that fills the gap between the Taurids and the Geminids. At the end of November they are the strongest source of meteors in the sky, yet even at the peak you should expect only two or three an hour from a dark site.

Where the meteors come from

No parent body is known. Neither the International Meteor Organization nor the IAU Meteor Data Center names a comet or asteroid for this stream, though a 2011 study of video meteor orbits suggested that it and the Monocerotids may share a source in Comet C/1917 F1 (Mellish). Its particles meet Earth at about 44 km/s, a medium speed for meteors.

When to watch

The shower is active from November 13 to December 6, with the peak around November 28; the table above gives the date and the Moon. The radiant is up for most of the night and highest near 2 a.m. local time. A moonless night near the peak matters more than the exact date.

How to find the radiant

Find Orion's Belt, then look up and to the left (from the Northern Hemisphere) to red Betelgeuse at the hunter's shoulder. The radiant is about 8° north of Betelgeuse, a little less than a fist at arm's length. The Northern Taurid radiant, still active, lies farther west in Taurus. From the Southern Hemisphere, Orion appears upside down and the radiant sits lower in the north.

What to expect

With a ZHR of 3 and a radiant that climbs to about 65° from mid-northern latitudes, a dark site gives two or three meteors an hour at best; from the suburbs, perhaps one. The meteors are quicker than the slow Taurids but not as quick as the Leonids. A population index of 3.0 means most are faint.

Viewing tips

  • Go out only on a dark, moonless night; this shower disappears in moonlight or city glow.
  • Use speed to tell sources apart: a November Orionid moves noticeably faster than a drifting Taurid.
  • Watch around 2 a.m., when Orion is high in the south.
  • Dress in layers and plan on at least an hour, with long gaps.

History and notable displays

The November Orionids are a minor shower, followed mainly by experienced observers and video camera networks. Detailed analysis of video data showed two very similar showers following one another here: the November Orionids, then the Monocerotids, with partly overlapping activity. 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.