Table of meteor shower

Meteor shower

A 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...

s

Note: Dates are accurate for 2009 only.

49

20

06

16

34

19

24

49

15

47

58

59

42

47

29

00

52

08

54

27

16

37

13

22

22

03

23

08

02

33

25

76

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
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. Kronk

Gary 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