THE SKY IN MOROCCO. METEOR SHOWERS IN OCTOBER AND DECEMBER. ORIONIDS AND GEMINIDS
The Geminids will be the most active meteor shower of the year, with up to 120 meteors per hour possible under perfect dark-sky conditions.
The sky in Morocco is fascinating. Even as light pollution continues to develop, there are still many places close to city centres where a clear night can carry the mind straight into the universe. From October to December, the sky offers a new series of natural spectacles. At Peter.ma, we help you discover them—and tell you where and when to look.
Morocco has two major celestial appointments before the year ends: the Orionids, peaking on the night of 21–22 October, and the Geminids, peaking on 13–14 December. The Geminids are expected to be the strongest and most active shower of 2026, with a zenithal hourly rate of about 120 meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
A note on terminology
These are meteor showers, not “meteorite showers.” A meteor is the streak of light—often called a shooting star—created when a tiny piece of space debris burns in Earth’s atmosphere. A meteorite is a fragment that survives the journey and lands on the ground; it is not what observers see during the Orionids or Geminids.
October: The Orionids in the Sky of Morocco
The Orionids are dust trails left by Halley’s Comet, also known as comet 1P/Halley. Their meteors appear to radiate from Orion, which rises higher in the Moroccan sky during the second half of the night. At peak, the shower can produce around 10–20 meteors per hour under dark skies.space+2
This year, the peak coincides with a bright waxing gibbous Moon, roughly 70–80% illuminated. That moonlight will hide many fainter meteors during much of the night, so the best window is after moonset, from roughly 3 a.m. until dawn on 22 October.
Where to watch
Merzouga and Erg Chebbi — wide desert horizons and minimal artificial light.
The Anti-Atlas around Tafraoute — dry air, granite landscapes and dark rural skies.
Oukaïmeden and the High Atlas — high altitude and crisp mountain air.
Imlil — the strongest option close to Marrakech, provided you choose a terrace or open slope away from village lighting.
For travellers in Essaouira, Rabat or Tangier, the Orionids are still possible, but urban glow and coastal haze make them a “bright meteor only” experience. Move beyond the city lights: the Chellah area or open land beyond Rabat, the hills and coast outside Tangier, or rural countryside south of Essaouira will give better results.
December: The Geminids
The Geminids are the headline event of the season. They are active from 4–17 December and peak on the night of 13–14 December, with a zenithal hourly rate that can exceed 120 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions. They are slower than the Orionids and often produce bold, colourful meteors that are easy to follow with the naked eye.
Unlike the Orionids, the Geminids originate from debris associated with asteroid 3200 Phaethon, rather than a comet. The 2026 conditions are especially favourable: a waxing crescent Moon sets early in the evening, opening a long period of dark sky—exactly what Morocco’s deserts and mountain valleys do best.
Best Moroccan settings
Region | Why it works | Best for |
Merzouga / Erg Chebbi | Vast horizon, near-zero light pollution, classic Sahara atmosphere | Luxury desert camps and night photography |
Erg Chigaga, M’Hamid | Remote dune field with exceptionally dark skies | Travellers seeking isolation |
Tafraoute / Anti-Atlas | Dry air, dark villages and striking granite scenery | A quieter winter escape |
Imlil / High Atlas | Elevation, dark surroundings and clear mountain air | The best mountain alternative to the Sahara |
Essaouira outskirts | Coastal atmosphere, with better skies inland or south of town | A coastal Geminids escape |
Rabat and Tangier edges | Accessible, but affected by urban light | Bright Geminids from Chellah, Cap Spartel or nearby hills |
How to watch
Arrive before midnight for the Geminids; activity is strong throughout the night.
Look halfway up the sky, not directly at the radiant near Gemini; meteors can appear anywhere overhead.
Give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adapt, and avoid looking at phone screens.
Dress for winter: December nights in the Atlas and Sahara can approach freezing after midnight.
Bring a red-light torch, reclining chair, blankets and a thermos. Meteor watching rewards patience more than equipment.
Peter.ma verdict
October’s Orionids are a beautiful but compromised spectacle—best enjoyed as a late-night bonus from Imlil, the Atlas or the desert. December’s Geminids are different: they are the most active meteor shower of the year, and Morocco’s early-setting crescent Moon makes 13–14 December the country’s premier meteor-shower night of 2026.
For the fullest experience, pair a remote Sahara camp near Merzouga or Erg Chigaga with a late dinner, a fire and an open eastern horizon. For a shorter journey, Imlil offers the best mountain alternative; Essaouira adds a coastal dimension; while Rabat and Tangier remain worthwhile for accessible, city-edge viewing. The Geminids require no telescope, no app and no specialist equipment—only darkness, patience and a warm blanket.
A Small Dictionary of the Celestial Sky
Term | Explanation |
Meteor | The bright streak of light—often called a shooting star—created when a tiny piece of space dust or rock burns up in Earth’s atmosphere. |
Meteorite | A fragment of space rock that survives its passage through the atmosphere and reaches Earth’s surface. Meteorites are not the streaks seen during a meteor shower. |
Meteor shower | A period when many meteors appear to come from the same area of the sky, usually caused by Earth passing through dust left by a comet or asteroid. |
Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) | The theoretical maximum number of meteors an ideal observer could see per hour under a perfectly dark, moonless sky with the radiant directly overhead. Real counts are often lower. |
Radiant | The point in the sky from which the meteors of a shower appear to radiate. The Orionids radiate from Orion; the Geminids from Gemini. |
Waxing gibbous Moon | A Moon that is more than half illuminated and growing toward full. Its brightness can reduce the number of faint meteors visible. |
Moonset | The moment the Moon disappears below the horizon. After moonset, the sky becomes darker and faint meteors are easier to see. |
Asteroid 3200 Phaethon | The rocky parent body associated with the Geminid meteor shower. Unlike most major showers, the Geminids are linked to an asteroid rather than a comet. |
Comet 1P/Halley | Halley’s Comet, the famous periodic comet that returns to the inner Solar System roughly every 76 years. Its dust trail produces the Orionid meteor shower. |
Light pollution | Artificial light from towns, roads and buildings that brightens the night sky and hides faint stars and meteors. |
Peter Manshoven for Peter.ma time for a T.
Sources & further reading
NASA Science — Geminid meteor shower: 2026 activity dates, peak timing, asteroid 3200 Phaethon and expected rates under dark skies.
Instituto Geográfico Nacional — Geminids: describes the Geminids as the strongest shower of the year in 2026, with a peak around 14 December.
American Meteor Society — 2026/2027 Meteor Shower Calendar: activity windows and peak dates for the Orionids and Geminids.
Royal Observatory Greenwich — Geminid meteor shower 2026: activity period, peak date, hourly rate and crescent-Moon conditions.
EarthSky — Geminid meteor shower peaks December 13–14: peak-night timing and expected meteor rates.
Space.com — Orionid meteor shower peaks October 21–22, 2026: Halley’s Comet origin, hourly rate, Moon interference and post-moonset viewing window.
BBC Weather — How to see the Orionid meteor shower: peak dates, expected rates and lunar interference.bbc
The Planetary Society — Orionid meteor shower 2026: peak timing, Halley’s Comet origin and Moon conditions.
Natural History Museum — Meteor showers 2026: the effect of light pollution on meteor visibility.
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