Alpha Capricornid meteor shower 2027: UK peak night and best time
8% moon
Peak night: 30–31 Jul 2027 Peak in 285 days
Active 3 Jul – 15 Aug 2027. 3 Jul Peak 15 Aug Best around 01:00, low in the south.
Up to 5 meteors an hour at the peak under a perfectly dark sky; expect fewer in practice. On the peak night, moonlight is no problem: the Moon is only 8% lit.
The Alpha Capricornids at a glance
- Radiant
- Capricornus, low in the south
- Parent
- Comet 169P/NEAT
- Meteor speed
- About 23 km/s (51,451 mph)
- Peak rate (ZHR)
- Up to 5 an hour
How many meteors to expect
A weak shower of about 5 meteors an hour at the peak, but the meteors are slow and some are bright fireballs. The highest rate on record, about 10 an hour, came in 1995.
How to find the radiant
Capricornus is a faint, triangular constellation that sits low in the south on July and August nights from the UK, below and to the left of Altair in the Summer Triangle. The radiant is highest around 01:00, when it is still only about 25 degrees up, so find a clear, dark southern horizon.
About the Alpha Capricornids
The Alpha Capricornids come from Comet 169P/NEAT. They peak on the same nights as the Southern Delta Aquariids at the end of July, so a night out for one is a night out for both. Because the Capricornids are so slow, you can tell them apart from the faster Delta Aquariids by how long they take to cross the sky.
Where to watch the Alpha Capricornids in the UK
Get away from street lights to somewhere with a wide view of the sky. Britain’s darkest skies sit over its upland national parks and Dark Sky Parks; each area below lists the peaks with forecasts and stargazing scores.
Alpha Capricornids questions
When is the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower 2027?
The Alpha Capricornids are active from 3 July to 15 August 2027 and peak on the night of 30–31 Jul 2027.
What time is best to see the Alpha Capricornids?
Best around 01:00, low in the south. On the peak night, moonlight is no problem: the Moon is only 8% lit.
Where should I look to see the Alpha Capricornids?
The meteors appear to come from Capricornus, low in the south. Capricornus is a faint, triangular constellation that sits low in the south on July and August nights from the UK, below and to the left of Altair in the Summer Triangle. The radiant is highest around 01:00, when it is still only about 25 degrees up, so find a clear, dark southern horizon.
How many Alpha Capricornids will I see?
A weak shower of about 5 meteors an hour at the peak, but the meteors are slow and some are bright fireballs. The highest rate on record, about 10 an hour, came in 1995.
More showers: Quadrantids · Lyrids · Eta Aquariids · Southern Delta Aquariids · Perseids · Draconids · Orionids · Taurids · Leonids · Geminids · Ursids. Every sky event this year: the UK sky calendar.