Meteor shower

In Astronomy the term meteor shower refers to predictable periods in Planet Earth's year when observers can expect to see Earth bombarded by more than the usual number of meteors.^[1]

The meteors in meteor showers are debris shed by comets, that range in from micron sized to one metre.^[1]

Even though their comet shed them, when it heated up on a close approach to Sol, they continue to orbit Sol, and their orbit will be very similar to, but not identical to, their comet's orbit. Over time the orbits of comet's debris will get out of synch with their comet, so they are not seen at the same time as their comet, but they will always seem to come from the same part of the sky. It is for this reason that their names contain the names of constellations. Meteor showers are named for the part of the sky the meteors seem to come from.

some prominent meteor showers^[1]
shower	time of year	comet or asteroid
Geminids	12-13 to 12-14	asteroid 3200 Phaethon	Can produce up to 120 meteors per hour Phaethon is a near-Earth asteroid
Perseids	08-12 to 08-13	Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle
Eta Aquarids	05-06 to 05-07	Halley's Comet^[2]
Orionids	10-20 to 10-22^[3]	Halley's Comet^[2]
Quadrantids	01-03 to 01-04	2003 EH1	2003 EH1 is a near-Earth asteroid, with a highly eccentric 19 year orbit, that Astronomers believe is a former comet that has lost all its volatile material.^[4]
Lyrids	04-22 to 04-23	Comet Thatcher^[5]
Delta Aquarids	07-28 to 07-29
Leonids	11-17 to 11-18
Draconids	10-07	Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
Taurids	11-04 to 11-05
Ursids	12-21 to 12-22

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "Meteor Showers Ranked". Eastern Sierra Observatory. 2019-08-12. Retrieved 2026-06-07. Meteor showers rain down from the cosmos throughout the year. These showers occur when Earth passes through a debris field in its orbit. Most of the debris we come in contact with is "dust" shed by comets traveling through the solar system, but meteors can range in size from as tiny as microns to as large as 1 meter. Anything larger than that is considered an asteroid or comet. Meteors typically enter our atmosphere traveling at speeds of 25,000 mph to 160,000 mph.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 "1P/Halley". NASA Science. 2017-11-29. Archived from the original on 2023-10-05. Retrieved 2026-06-07. Halley is often called the most famous comet because it marked the first time astronomers understood comets could be repeat visitors to our night skies. Astronomers have now linked the comet's appearances to observations dating back more than 2,000 years.
↑ Bruce McClure (2020-10-19). "Orionid meteors likely peak the morning of October 21". EarthSky. Archived from the original on 2010-10-17. Retrieved 2026-06-08. The Orionids stem from debris from the most famous of all comets, Comet Halley, pictured above. The picture shows Comet Halley itself at its 1910 visit. The comet last visited Earth in 1986 and will return next in 2061.
↑ "January 2017". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 2017-01-02. Retrieved 2026-06-07. Meteor showers are usually the residue that collects in the orbits of comets. The Quadrantids are associated with an asteroid -- 2003 EH1. It is thought to be the nucleus fragment from a comet break-up in the 1490s. It was classified as an asteroid when it was discovered by a near-Earth asteroid telescopic survey in 2003.
↑ "The Lyrid meteor shower in 2027 peaks April 22". EarthSky. Archived from the original on 2013-04-07. Retrieved 2026-06-08. Most meteor showers are caused by debris from a passing comet. For the Lyrids, the comet is named Comet Thatcher.

[easternsierraobservatory2019-08-12-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "Meteor Showers Ranked". Eastern Sierra Observatory. 2019-08-12. Retrieved 2026-06-07. Meteor showers rain down from the cosmos throughout the year. These showers occur when Earth passes through a debris field in its orbit. Most of the debris we come in contact with is "dust" shed by comets traveling through the solar system, but meteors can range in size from as tiny as microns to as large as 1 meter. Anything larger than that is considered an asteroid or comet. Meteors typically enter our atmosphere traveling at speeds of 25,000 mph to 160,000 mph.

[NasaHalleys2017-11-29-2] 2.0 ^2.1 "1P/Halley". NASA Science. 2017-11-29. Archived from the original on 2023-10-05. Retrieved 2026-06-07. Halley is often called the most famous comet because it marked the first time astronomers understood comets could be repeat visitors to our night skies. Astronomers have now linked the comet's appearances to observations dating back more than 2,000 years.

[EarthSkyOrionid2020-10-19-3] Bruce McClure (2020-10-19). "Orionid meteors likely peak the morning of October 21". EarthSky. Archived from the original on 2010-10-17. Retrieved 2026-06-08. The Orionids stem from debris from the most famous of all comets, Comet Halley, pictured above. The picture shows Comet Halley itself at its 1910 visit. The comet last visited Earth in 1986 and will return next in 2061.

[NasaJpl2003-EH12017-01-02-4] "January 2017". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 2017-01-02. Retrieved 2026-06-07. Meteor showers are usually the residue that collects in the orbits of comets. The Quadrantids are associated with an asteroid -- 2003 EH1. It is thought to be the nucleus fragment from a comet break-up in the 1490s. It was classified as an asteroid when it was discovered by a near-Earth asteroid telescopic survey in 2003.

[EarthSkyLyridCometThatcher-5] "The Lyrid meteor shower in 2027 peaks April 22". EarthSky. Archived from the original on 2013-04-07. Retrieved 2026-06-08. Most meteor showers are caused by debris from a passing comet. For the Lyrids, the comet is named Comet Thatcher.

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