Ultimate 2026 South America Shooting Stars & Meteor Showers Guide

astrophotography & nightscape photographers

Introduction Why 2026 is a Stellar Year for Shooting Star Photography

2026 offers multiple major meteor showers that are ideal for night photography, astrophotography tours, long exposure skyscapes, and time-lapse sequences. With dark skies in the Atacama Desert, Uyuni salt flats, and high Andean treks like Ausangate and Huayhuash, photographers can capture spectacular shooting stars, star trails, and Milky Way nightscapes.

This guide covers the top meteor showers of 2026, best months to shoot, photography tips, and how to plan tours in South America’s best dark sky locations.

Top Meteor Showers in 2026 (Best for Shooters)

Here are the major meteor showers in 2026 — their dates, rates, and peak viewing windows:

Lyrids Peak Night: April 22, 2026

• Active every year mid-April; best for nightscape photography with moderate rates (~18 meteors/hour).

• Peak viewing is pre-dawn hours, a great opportunity for combining Milky Way and shooting star photography.

• Ideal for tours that include Atacama Desert night photography & Uyuni nightscapes.

Eta Aquariids Peak: May 5-6, 2026

• Strong meteor shower created from debris of Halley’s Comet.

• Best visible before dawn; shooters can capture bright fast meteors with a wide field.

• Great for Andean high-altitude dark sky tours like Ausangate & Huayhuash.

Perseids Peak: August 12-13, 2026

• One of the best meteor showers of the year with potential 50–100 meteors/hour and New Moon conditions in 2026 — perfect for astrophotography.

• Excellent for wide-angle star trails and shooting star sequences in Atacama and Uyuni skies.

Orionids Peak: October 21-22, 2026

• Medium meteor rate (~20 meteors/hour), ideal for combining nightscape mountain or salt flat foregrounds with meteors.

• Best just after midnight when the radiant is highest.

Leonids Peak: November 17-18, 2026

• A classic annual meteor shower best captured with long exposures and horizon silhouettes.

• Good choice if including autumn tours in southern Andes or Patagonia.

Geminids Peak: December 13-14, 2026

• One of the most prolific meteor showers of the year (~75 meteors/hour) under favorable moon conditions; great for night sky panoramas and timelapse loops.

Best Shooting Star Photography Windows for Tours

Meteor ShowerPeak DateBest TimePhotography NotesLyridsApril 22Pre-dawnGood rates & dark skiesEta AquariidsMay 5-6Pre-dawnFast bright meteorsPerseidsAug 12-13OvernightHigh prolific activityOrionidsOct 21-22After midnightMedium rateLeonidsNov 17-18Pre-dawnClassic showerGeminidsDec 13-14All nightVery high rates

Use this meteor shower calendar for 2026 to plan photo tours and workshops around peak nights and new moon phases for maximum shooting star visibility.

Best Locations in South America for Meteor Photography

To capture shooting stars and night sky astrophotography in 2026, these South American locations offer some of the darkest skies on Earth — ideal for nightscape tours:

Atacama Desert, Chile

• Among the world’s best night sky photography destinations with exceptionally low humidity and virtually no light pollution — perfect for shooting stars, Milky Way panoramas, time-lapse sky trails, and astrophotography workshops.

Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia

• The reflective salt flats combined with clear high altitude skies make for dramatic night photography — meteors reflect on the ground for unique compositions.

Andean High Trends Salkantay, Ausangate, Lares & Huayhuash (Peru)

• These trekking zones offer high-altitude dark nights, enabling astrophotographers to combine landscape silhouettes with spectacular shooting stars and mountain nightscapes.

Photographer Tips for Shooting Shooting Stars

Here are some pro tips to capture amazing shooting star photos on your tours:

Equipment & Settings

• Wide-angle lens (14–24mm) for immersive sky shots.

• Fast aperture (f/2.8 or wider) to capture faint meteors.

• High ISO (1600–6400) with low noise performance.

• Long exposures (15–30 seconds); stack multiple frames for star trails.

• Use intervalometer for automatic burst shooting.

Composition & Timing

• Include landscape foregrounds like mountains, salt flats, trekking ridges, or silhouettes to add depth.

• Start shooting peak viewing hours after midnight or pre-dawn for showers like the Lyrids and Eta Aquariids.

Dark Skies & Location Planning

• Choose sites far from light pollution, high altitude, and clear weather (dry desert or mountain zones).

• Check moon phase calendars to avoid bright moonlight interfering with meteor visibility.

Conclusion — Plan Your 2026 Meteor Photography Tours

2026 presents multiple excellent opportunities for photographers and nightscape artists to capture shooting stars, meteor showers, star trails and stunning dark sky panoramas across South America. Whether you’re leading tours in Atacama, Uyuni, Salkantay, Ausangate, Lares, or Huayhuash, aligning your expeditions with peak meteor shower dates and best dark sky conditions will produce unforgettable astrophotography experiences.