List of meteor showers
Encyclopedia
Table of meteor showerMeteor showerA meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories. Most meteors are smaller...
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Note: Dates are accurate for 2009 only.Name | Dates | Peak dates | Right ascension Right ascension Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:... |
Declination Declination In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and... |
Speed Speed In kinematics, the speed of an object is the magnitude of its velocity ; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance traveled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as... (km/s) |
ZHR Zenithal Hourly Rate In astronomy, the Zenithal Hourly Rate of a meteor shower is the number of meteors a single observer would see in one hour under a clear, dark sky if the radiant of the shower were at the zenith... |
Rating |
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Quadrantids Quadrantids The Quadrantids are an easily visible January meteor shower.The radiant of this shower is an area inside the constellation Boötes. The name comes from Quadrans Muralis, an obsolete constellation that is now part of Boötes... |
1 January – 5 January | 3 January | 15:20 | 41 | 120 | Strong | |
Gamma Velids | 1 January – 15 January | 5 January | 08:20 | ||||
35 | 2 | Weak | |||||
Alpha Crucids | 6 January – 28 January | 15 January | 12:48 | ||||
50 | 3 | Weak | |||||
Delta Cancrids Delta Cancrids The Delta Cancrids is a medium strength meteor shower lasting from December 14 to February 14, the main shower from January 1 to January 24. The radiant is located in the constellation of Cancer, near Delta Cancri. It peaks on January 17 each year, with only four meteors per hour. It was first... |
1 January – 31 January | 17 January | 08:40 | 28 | 4 | Medium | |
Alpha Hydrids | 5 January – 14 February | 19 January | 08:52 | ||||
44 | 2 | Weak | |||||
Eta Carinids Eta Carinids The Eta Carinids are a meteor shower lasting from January 14 to 27 each year. It peaks on January 21. It was first discovered in 1961 in Australia. Roughly two to three meteors occur per hour at its maximum. It gets its name from the radiant which is close to the nebulous star Eta Carinae.... |
14 January – 27 January | 21 January | 10:40 | ||||
2 | Weak | ||||||
Alpha Carinids | 24 January – 9 February | 30 January | 06:20 | ||||
25 | 2 | Weak | |||||
Delta Velids | 22 January – 21 February | 5 February | 08:44 | ||||
35 | 1 | Weak | |||||
Alpha Centaurids Alpha Centaurids The Alpha Centaurids are a meteor shower in the constellation Centaurus, peaking in early February each year. The average magnitude is around 2.5, with a peak of about three meteors an hour.... |
28 January – 21 February | 7 February | 14:00 | ||||
56 | 6 | Medium | |||||
Omicron Centaurids Omicron Centaurids The Omicron Centaurids meteor shower has a radiant which is in the constellation Centaurus which is visible from the southern hemisphere. It is most easily seen at 2:00 am, local standard time. It is visible from late January through February each year. It peaks in mid-February.... |
31 January – 19 February | 11 February | 11:48 | ||||
51 | 2 | Weak | |||||
Theta Centaurids Theta Centaurids Theta Centaurids is a weak meteor shower that occurs from January 23 to March 12. It is only visible from the southern hemisphere.-Basic Information:*Abbreviation: TCE*Speed: 60 km/s*Rating: Weak*Hourly rate: 4*Peak Date: February 14... |
23 January – 12 March | 21 February | 14:00 | ||||
60 | 4 | Weak | |||||
February Leonids | 1 February – 28 February | several | 11:00 | 30 | 5 | Medium | |
Delta Leonids | 15 February – 10 March | 24 February | 11:12 | 23 | 2 | Medium | |
Gamma Normids | 25 February – 22 March | 13 March | 16:36 | ||||
56 | 8 | Medium | |||||
Virginids Virginids The Virginids are a meteor shower. There are many major and minor meteor shower streams that occur during the Virginid Complex, including the Alpha Virginids, Gamma Virginids, Eta Virginids, Theta Virginids, Iota Virginids, Lambda Virginids, Mu Virginids, Pi Virginids, and Psi Virginids, and March... |
1 March – 15 April | several | 13:00 | ||||
30 | 5 | Medium | |||||
Delta Pavonids | 11 March – 16 April | 30 March | 20:36 | ||||
58 | 5 | Weak | |||||
Librids | 15 April – 30 April | several | 15:12 | ||||
30 | 5 | Medium | |||||
Lyrids Lyrids The Lyrids are a strong meteor shower lasting from April 16 to April 26 each year. The radiant of the meteor shower is located in the constellation Lyra, peaking at April 22—hence they are also called the Alpha Lyrids or April Lyrids. The source of the meteor shower is the periodic Comet... |
15 April – 28 April | 22 April | 18:04 | 49 | 15 | Strong | |
Pi Puppids Pi Puppids The Pi Puppids are a meteor shower associated with the comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup.The meteor stream was viewable around April 23 but only in years around the parent comet's perihelion date, the last being in 2003... |
15 April – 28 April | 23 April | 07:20 | ||||
18 | variable | Irregular | |||||
Alpha Bootids | 14 April – 12 May | 28 April | 14:32 | 20 | 2 | Weak | |
Mu Virginids | 1 April – 12 May | 29 April | 15:08 | ||||
30 | 2 | Weak | |||||
Omega Capricornids | 19 April – 15 May | 2 May | 21:00 | ||||
50 | 2 | Weak | |||||
Eta Aquariids | 19 April – 28 May | 6 May | 22:32 | ||||
66 | 60 | Strong | |||||
Alpha Scorpiids | 1 May – 31 May | 16 May | 16:12 | ||||
35 | 5 | Medium | |||||
Beta Corona Austrinids | 23 April – 30 May | 16 May | 18:56 | ||||
45 | 3 | Weak | |||||
Omega Scorpiids | 23 May – 15 June | 2 June | 15:56 | ||||
21 | 5 | Weak | |||||
Arietids Arietids The Arietids are a strong meteor shower that lasts from May 22 to July 2 each year, and peaks on June 7. The Arietids, along with the Zeta Perseids, are the most intense daylight meteor showers of the year... |
22 May – 2 July | 7 June | 02:56 | 38 | 54 | Strong | |
Sagittarids | 1 June – 15 July | 19 June | 18:16 | ||||
30 | 5 | Medium | |||||
June Lyrids | 10 June – 21 June | 15 June | 18:20 | +35 | variable (max 1.3-3.5) | Irregular | |
Tau Cetids | 18 June – 4 July | 27 June | 01:36 | ||||
66 | 4 | Weak | |||||
June Bootids June Bootids The June Bootids are a meteor shower occurring roughly between 26 June and 2 July each year. In most years their activity is weak, with a zenith hourly rate of only 1 or 2. However, occasional outbursts have been seen, with the outburst of 1916 drawing attention to the previously unknown meteor... |
28 June – 28 June | 28 June | 14:36 | 14 | variable | Irregular | |
Tau Aquariids | 19 June – 5 July | 28 June | 22:48 | ||||
63 | 7 | Weak | |||||
Theta Ophiuchids | 4 June – 15 July | 29 June | 16:36 | ||||
29 | 2 | Weak | |||||
July Pegasids | 7 July – 13 July | 10 July | 22:40 | 70 | 3 | Medium | |
July Phoenicids | 10 July – 16 July | 13 July | 02:08 | ||||
47 | variable | Irregular | |||||
Alpha Cygnids | 11 July – 30 July | 18 July | 20:20 | 37 | 2 | Weak | |
Sigma Capricornids | 15 July – 11 August | 20 July | 20:28 | ||||
30 | 5 | Weak | |||||
Piscis Austrinids | 15 July – 10 August | 28 July | 22:44 | ||||
35 | 5 | Medium | |||||
Southern Delta Aquariids | 12 July – 19 August | 28 July | 22:36 | ||||
41 | 20 | Strong | |||||
Alpha Capricornids Alpha Capricornids Alpha Capricornids is a meteor shower that takes place as early as 15 July and continues until around 10 August. The meteor shower was discovered by Hungarian astronomer Miklos von Konkoly-Thege in 1871.This shower has infrequent but relatively bright meteors, with some fireballs... |
3 July – 15 August | 30 July | 20:28 | ||||
23 | 4 | Medium | |||||
Southern Iota Aquariids | 25 July – 15 August | 4 August | 22:16 | ||||
34 | 2 | Medium | |||||
Northern Delta Aquariids | 15 July – 25 August | 8 August | 22:20 | ||||
42 | 4 | Medium | |||||
Perseids Perseids The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids are so-called because the point from which they appear to come, called the radiant, lies in the constellation Perseus. The name derives in part from the word Perseides , a term found in Greek mythology... |
17 July – 24 August | 12 August | 03:04 | 59 | 90 | Strong | |
Kappa Cygnids Kappa Cygnids Kappa Cygnids, abbreviated KCG, is a minor meteor shower that takes place in August along with the larger Perseids meteor shower. Kappa Cygnids are named for the radiant where the meteor shower will appear to line up in sky by the constellation Cygnus and the star Kappa Cygni.... |
3 August – 25 August | 17 August | 19:04 | 25 | 3 | Medium | |
Northern Iota Aquariids | 11 August – 31 August | 20 August | 21:48 | ||||
31 | 3 | Medium | |||||
Pi Eridanids | 20 August – 5 September | 25 August | 03:28 | ||||
59 | 4 | Weak | |||||
Gamma Doradids | 19 August – 6 September | 28 August | 04:36 | ||||
41 | 5 | Weak | |||||
Alpha Aurigids | 25 August – 8 September | 1 September | 05:36 | 66 | 7 | Medium | |
September Perseids | 5 September – 10 October | 8 September | 04:00 | 64 | 6 | Medium | |
Aries-triangulids | 9 September – 16 September | 12 September | 02:00 | 35 | 3 | Weak | |
Piscids | 1 September – 30 September | 20 September | 00:32 | 26 | 3 | Medium | |
Kappa Aquariids | 8 September – 30 September | 20 September | 22:36 | ||||
16 | 3 | Weak | |||||
Delta Aurigids Delta Aurigids Delta Aurigids is a minor reliable meteor shower that takes place from mid-September to early October.... |
22 September – 23 October | 10 October | 05:40 | 64 | 6 | Medium | |
October Arietids | 1 October – 31 October | 8 October | 02:08 | 28 | 5 | Medium | |
Giacobinids | 6 October – 10 October | 8 October | 17:28 | 20 | variable | Irregular | |
Epsilon Geminids | 14 October – 27 October | 18 October | 06:56 | 71 | 2 | Medium | |
Orionids Orionids The Orionid meteor shower, usually shortened to the Orionids, is the most prolific meteor shower associated with Halley's Comet. The Orionids are so-called because the point they appear to come from, called the radiant, lies in the constellation Orion. Orionids are an annual meteor shower which... |
2 October – 7 November | 21 October | 06:20 | 66 | 20 | Strong | |
Leo Minorids Leo Minorids Leo Minorids is a weak meteor shower that takes place from October 19 till October 27 each year. With a weak moon the meteor shower may be visible with the naked eye, however this meteor shower is best observed only from the Northern Hemisphere with telescopic plotting... |
21 October – 23 October | 22 October | 10:48 | 62 | 2 | Weak | |
Southern Taurids | 1 November – 25 November | 5 November | 03:28 | 27 | 5 | Medium | |
Delta Eridanids | 6 November – 29 November | 10 November | 03:52 | ||||
31 | 2 | Weak | |||||
Northern Taurids | 1 November – 25 November | 12 November | 03:52 | 29 | 5 | Medium | |
Zeta Puppids | 2 November – 20 December | 13 November | 07:48 | ||||
41 | 3 | Weak | |||||
Leonids Leonids The Leonids is a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle. The Leonids get their name from the location of their radiant in the constellation Leo: the meteors appear to radiate from that point in the sky. They tend to peak in November.Earth moves through the meteoroid... |
14 November – 21 November | 17 November | 10:12 | 71 | variable | Irregular | |
Alpha Monocerotids Alpha Monocerotids The Alpha Monocerotids or Monocerotids of November is it a meteor swarm with the international acronym AMO, not to be confused with the Monocerotids of December, international acronym MON. The swarm is visible from 15 to 25 November of every year; its peak occurs on 21 or 22 November. The speed of... |
15 November – 25 November | 21 November | 07:20 | 60 | variable | Irregular | |
Chi Orionids | 25 November – 31 December | 2 December | 05:28 | 28 | 3 | Medium | |
Phoenicids Phoenicids The Phoenicids are a minor meteor shower, first noticed by observers in New Zealand, Australia, the Indian Ocean, and South Africa during an outburst of approximately 100 meteors an hour that occurred during December 1956. Like other meteor showers, the Phoenicids get their name from the location... |
28 November – 9 December | 6 December | 01:12 | ||||
18 | variable | Irregular | |||||
Monocerotids Monocerotids Monocerotids is a reliable minor meteor shower that takes place from December 7 to December 20 and peaks on December 9.... |
27 November – 17 December | 9 December | 06:48 | 43 | 3 | Medium | |
Sigma Hydrids | 3 December – 15 December | 12 December | 08:28 | 58 | 2 | Medium | |
Puppid-velids | 2 December – 16 December | 12 December | 09:00 | ||||
40 | 4 | Medium | |||||
Geminids Geminids The Geminids are a meteor shower caused by the object 3200 Phaethon, which is thought to be a Palladian asteroid. This would make the Geminids, together with the Quadrantids, the only major meteor showers not originating from a comet... |
12 December – 16 December | 14 December | 02:28 | 35 | 120 | Strong | |
Coma Berenicids Coma Berenicids Coma Berenicids is a minor meteor shower, originating from the constellation Coma Berenices. The shower appears from December 8 to January 23 with the estimated maximum on December 20—29 . The radiant during that time is at α=165°, δ=+30°... |
12 December – 23 January | 20 December | 11:40 | 65 | 5 | Medium | |
Ursids Ursids The Ursids meteor activity begins annually around December 17th and runs for a week plus, until the 25th or 26th. This meteor shower is named for its radiant point which is located near the star Beta Ursae Minoris in the constellation Ursa Minor.... |
17 December – 26 December | 22 December | 14:28 | 33 | 10 | Strong |
Note
This list of meteor streams and peak activity times is based on data from the International Meteor Organization while most of the parent body associations are from Gary W. KronkGary W. Kronk
Gary W. Kronk is an American amateur astronomer and writer.-Biography:Kronk was born in Granite City, Illinois, United States, on March 23, 1956...
book, Meteor Showers': A Description Catalog, Enslow Publishers, New Jersey, ISBN 0-89490-071-4, and from Peter Jenniskens
Peter Jenniskens
Petrus Matheus Marie Jenniskens is a Dutch astronomer and a senior research scientist at the Carl Sagan Center of the SETI Institute and at NASA Ames Research Center. He is an expert on meteor showers. Jenniskens is the author of the 790 page book "Meteor Showers and their Parent Comets"...
's book, "Meteor Showers and Their Parent Comets", Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK, ISBN 13-978-0-521-85349-1.
External links
A calendar of meteor showers in 2011 can be found at these external websites:- Sky & Telescope magazine — simple/amateur
- International Meteor Organization — advanced/technical