If you want to know about some fun facts about meteor showers, keep reading! You see them almost every night of the year: shooting stars and meteors that streak across the sky in a flash of light. They’re not stars at all, but debris from space. When comets fly by Earth they leave behind tons of tiny pieces of ice, rock, and minerals.
These bits are known as meteoroids. If they enter Earth’s atmosphere they become meteors because they appear to shoot through the sky like a “shooting star”. But when conditions are just right, these particles collide with our atmosphere again and again until there is so much debris in one small part of the sky that we call it a meteor shower (source).
There are over 60 known meteor showers throughout the year. What’s even more interesting is that some of these spectacular shows happen on the same date every single year! How cool is that?
1. Meteor Showers Are Named After The Calendar Date They Happen On
When astronomers first noticed that some meteor showers fell on the same date every year, they named them after the dates on which they appeared. The Quadrantids, for example, are always seen between January 1st and January 18th.
That’s because the shower’s parent comet takes about a year and a half to circle the sun. Similarly, the Perseids appear between August 9th and August 21st because the comet that produces them takes 132 years to make one full orbit of the sun.
2. Why Don’t We See As Many Meteors During the Day?
Most people who watch meteor showers see more during the night than during the day. During the day you can see a few shooting stars, but at night you could see hundreds.
That’s because during the day you’re looking into the sun, so your pupils are open wide to let in as much light as possible. At night, though, your pupils are much smaller so you can’t see as many meteors because they’re not as bright.
3. Some Meteor Showers Are Bigger And Produce More Shooting Stars Than Others
The most famous meteor showers are the Perseids in August, the Leonids in November, and the Geminids in December. All of these showers produce hundreds of shooting stars an hour. None of these showers are dependable, though. Some years are better than others.
But other meteor showers aren’t as well known but are still worth watching. These include the Orionids in October, the Quadrantids in January, and the Delta Aquarids in July. These showers might produce only 10 or 20 shooting stars an hour, but they’re worth watching because they’re so easy to see.
4. What Is A Meteor Shower’s Peak?
When there are the most meteors in the sky during a certain period, this is called the “peak” of the shower. Meteor showers always have a peak date, but this date can vary from year to year. The reason is that the Earth’s orbit around the sun isn’t in the same plane as the orbit of the meteors.
So sometimes the Earth passes through a meteor swarm when it’s in its orbit around the sun, and other times we pass slightly out of its path. When we pass through the edge of a swarm, we see fewer meteors than when we pass through their densest parts. Fun facts about meteor showers, aren’t they?
5. You Can See Hundreds Of Meteors In Just One Hour!
Some of the best meteor showers can produce more than 1,000 shooting stars an hour. The Geminids, for example, produce up to 2,000 an hour.
On a really good night, you could see more than a hundred meteors an hour. Even the less impressive showers are worth watching, though. You could see one or two meteors every hour.
6. April Showers Bring May Flowers — And May Showers Bring Out The Meteor Showers!
In May, you can watch the Eta Aquarids, which are one of the most consistent meteor showers of the year. You can also watch the delta Aquarids, which are another consistent shower that takes place at this time as well.
7. There Are A Few Ways To Know When A Meteor Show Will Happen
If you’re interested in watching a meteor shower, the easiest thing to do is to check a calendar of astronomical events. If you’re looking for the best dates to watch for the Leonids, for example, you can check a calendar and see that the shower is expected to peak on November 17th or 18th.
You can also use an app such as StarDate, SkyGuide, or MeteorShowers. If you want to know if there are any meteor showers active during a certain month, you can check the Astronomy Calendar.
You can also sign up for a service such as NASA’s Astronomy Alerts and be reminded when the best dates to watch for a meteor shower are.
8. How To Find The Best Place To Watch A Meteor Show
When you’re watching a meteor shower, you don’t need special equipment, but you do need to find a dark spot away from city lights. Ideally, you should be somewhere away from all man-made light. A place with a low horizon — like a desert — is best.
That way, you can see as much of the sky as possible. Any light pollution from nearby towns and cities will drown out the faint light of the meteors.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading these fun facts about meteor showers! These are some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring events in the entire universe, and they’re something everyone can see.
The next time there’s a meteor shower, be sure to take some time out of your day to stop and appreciate the magic and beauty of the cosmos. These are just a few of the many facts about meteor showers.
When you see a shooting star, remember — this is not a star at all, but a piece of space dust burning up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere!
