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Meteor Shower

A display of meteors streaking through the sky at rates of several to hundreds per hour. Whenever Earth intercepts a stream of comet debris in orbit around the Sun, some of the debris falls into Earth’s atmosphere, producing the meteor shower. Two of the best annual meteor showers are the Perseids in August and the Leonids in November. See our list of this year’s meteor showers for more information.

Resources

Earth

Earth February 10, 2016
Aquarius

Aquarius October 4, 2011
Mars meteorite

Meteorites May 19, 2010

Radio Programs

Perseid Meteors Searching for cosmic sparklers August 10, 2019

Quadrantid Meteors Sparks from the death of a comet January 3, 2019

Dusty Display An asteroid spawns a lightshow December 12, 2018

Leonid Meteors A quiet but steady meteor shower November 16, 2018

Orionid Meteors A weekend meteor shower October 19, 2018

Draconid Meteors Sparks or misfires from the dragon? October 8, 2018

Lyrid Meteors A good night for a meteor shower April 21, 2018

Ursid Meteors An on-again, off-again meteor shower December 21, 2017

Phaethon A meteor shower with a difference December 11, 2017

Moon, Planets, Meteors Mornings made for skywatching November 15, 2017

Orionid Meteor Shower Sparks from a distant comet October 20, 2017

Catching Showers Tracking down meteor showers October 10, 2017

Moon and More Moon, planets, and meteors January 2, 2017

Leonid Meteors Meteors and moonlight November 15, 2016

Orionid Meteors Faint meteors and bright moonlight October 20, 2016

Moon, Meteors, and More The Moon, meteors, and more August 11, 2016

Perseid Meteors Finding the cause of meteor showers August 10, 2016

Mars and Meteors Mars, meteors, and the Moon — after this. January 3, 2016

Geminid Meteors Dark skies for a meteor shower December 12, 2015

Orionid Meteors Reminders of a distant comet October 18, 2015

More Perseids Flashes of light in the summer night August 10, 2015

Perseid Meteors Fiery skies from comet dust August 9, 2015

Meteorites III Picking up some unusual rocks April 18, 2015

Meteor Plots On the trail of “shooting stars” January 28, 2015

Quadrantid Meteors The changing landscape of the sky January 1, 2015

Featured Images

Bright meteor over Europe

Bright Meteor November 15, 2017
leonid meteor, 2009

Meteor Time November 16, 2016
2009 view of Perseid meteors

Rain of Fire August 10, 2016
Illustration of 1833 Leonid meteor storm

Skyfall November 16, 2015
Orionid Meteor Shower

Orionid Meteors October 20, 2012

Geminid Meteors December 13, 2010
Leonid Meteor Shower 2010

Seeing Sparks November 16, 2010