Primary Meteor Showers

Up ] Application for Membership ] Bylaws of the Starlight Astronomy Club ] Information for New Observers ] Three Astronomy Books ] New and Full Moons in 2010 ] [ Primary Meteor Showers ] Monthly Sky Tour Podcast ] Sky & Telescope's Weekly News Bulletins ] Sky & Telescope's AstroAlert News Service ] Sky & Telescope's Online Archive ] Photo Archive ] Clark Thomas' Astronomy Links ]

 

Peak Date
(Morning Hours)
Meteor Shower Hourly
Rate
Parent Comet
Jan 4 Quadrantids 100 2003 EH1
 (a minor planet, possibly C/1490 Y1)
April 22 Lyrids 10-20 Thatcher (C/1861 G1)
May 6 Eta Aquarids 20-40 1P/Halley
June 8 Arietids 60
(daytime)
Unknown
(minor planet 1566 Icarus suspected,
 possibly 96P/Machholz 1)
July 29 Delta Aquarids 20 Unknown
(96P/Machholz 2 (1994o) suspected)
Auq 13 Persids 60 109P/Swift-Tuttle
Oct 21 Orionids 10-15 1P/Halley
Nov 6 Southern Taurids 5 2P/Encke
Nov 13 Northern Taurids 5 2P/Encke
Nov 18 Leonids 10 55P/Tempel-Tuttle
Dec 14 Geminids 100 3200 Phaethon
 (an asteroid discovered in 1983)
Dec 23 Ursids 10 8P/Tuttle