Activities
StarDate in the Classroom
National Science Education Standards
Links
Activity 3:
Observing Meteor Showers
In this activity you locate meteor showers and record observations.
Materials
A clear night, observation notebook, flashlight covered with red paper or cellophane, blanket or chair, compass (optional)
Background
Meteors are streaks of light caused by particles left behind by comets or asteroids. The orbital path of a comet contains particles that have separated from the comet's body, or nucleus. When Earth crosses the orbital path of a comet, it encounters a cloud of the comet's particles. When these particles enter Earth's atmosphere, they burn up, leaving a streak of light. We observe this as a meteor shower.
Tips and Suggestions
- The best time to observe meteors usually is after midnight.
- It's best to observe meteors with the unaided eye. This is because a meteor
crosses a wide area of the sky, while binoculars can only focus on a narrow area.
- Refer to StarDate Online's 1997 Events Page for the names and dates of annual meteor showers. Listen to StarDate/Universo programs about meteor showers.
Procedure
From the chart, pick a shower that you would like to observe. The name of the
shower indicates the point from which the meteors appear to originate. For example, the Orionid shower appears to originate in the constellation Orion. Give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness. While waiting for your eyes to adjust, determine which direction is north. Do not look at bright lights or the Moon. Use a star map to locate the constellation associated with the shower name. Keep your eyes on the sky, but do not focus too long in any one direction. Instead, scan the sky for bright streaks. Record the number of streaks you observe per hour. Why do you think the best time to view meteor showers is after midnight? What myths have different cultures created to explain meteor showers?
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