Science Fact Finder | Space - When Do Meteor Showers Occur?

When do meteor showers occur?

Meteors, also called "shooting stars" (the streaks we see cross the sky on clear summer nights), are small particles of dust left behind by a comet's tail (a comet is a celestial body that has a tail and follows an orbit around the sun). Although some meteors streak through the sky every day and night, meteor activity greatly intensifies ten times during the year. These periods are known as "meteor showers" and occur when the Earth passes through the orbit of a comet or the debris left behind by a comet.

Meteor showers are named for the area of sky, or constellation, where the meteors originate. Listed below are ten meteor showers and when they can be seen.

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Name of Shower	Dates
Quadrantids	January 1-6
Lyrids	April 19-24

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