Supermoon and Draconids: Heavenly spectacle over Brandenburg!

Supermoon and Draconids: Heavenly spectacle over Brandenburg!

On October 7, 2025, a special spectacle will take place in the night sky over Cologne: the first supermoon of the year will shine and at the same time the Draconid meteor shower will be active. This is a combination that skygazers shouldn't miss. Loud daily news The supermoon is considered particularly impressive because it appears larger and brighter due to its proximity to Earth of around 361,457 kilometers. The moon will set at 7:36 a.m. and rise again at 6:18 p.m. that evening.

The big collision between the moon and meteorites is a rarity. The Draconids meteor shower, also known as the Giacobinids, will peak on the night of October 7th and 8th, and possibly even the following night. These shooting stars are formed when small pieces of rock left behind by comets enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up. The parent comet is 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, which reached perihelion in March 2025 and is currently crossing Earth on its path between October 6th and 10th.

Tips for observing the Draconids

The Draconid meteor shower will be most visible, particularly from the Northern Hemisphere. At best, up to 150 to 400 meteors per hour can be seen under ideal conditions, although only about five are usually expected. The Draconids have their radiation point near the stars Eltanin and Rastaban in the constellation Draco, which is best visible from around midnight. Interestingly, the radiant point shows itself best in the evening, meaning that early observation until midnight may be more worthwhile, as EarthSky explained.

But be careful: the almost full moon phase could make fainter meteorites more difficult to detect. With lunar illumination at 99 percent, the moon's glare could obscure the view of the Draconids. Historically, there were spectacular meteor storms in 1933 and 1946 with several thousand sightings per hour. Such events are very rare due to the gravitational disturbances caused by Jupiter, the next significant eruption is not expected until 2078, as Star Walk notes.

A perfect evening for astronomy fans

So Cologne's astronomy fans can consider themselves lucky: Tonight promises an impressive experience that can easily be combined with a leisurely evening walk. It is recommended to use an app such as Sky Tonight to get the most accurate information about observation and positioning in the sky. Equipped with a cup of tea and a blanket, it simply brings more joy to enjoy the celestial event in the open air. So keep your eyes peeled and have fun catching shooting stars!