Last Update:  4-21-2007
Completely Refreshed

General
Cornell University - Comets, Meteors & Asteroids
Kid's Cosmos - Asteroids, Comets & Meteors 

Asteroids
Amazing-Space - Asteroids 
NASA Solar System Exploration - Asteroids 
SPACE.com - Asteroids
StarDate Online - Asteroids 
The Nine Planets - Asteroids 
Wikipedia - Asteroids
Windows to the Universe - Asteroids 

Comets
Amazing-Space - Comets 
NASA Solar System Exploration - Comets 
SPACE.com - Comets
StarDate Online - Comets
The Nine Planets - Comets 
Wikipedia - Comets  
Windows to the Universe - Comets 

Meteors
American Meteor Society - Meteor Showers
International Meteor Organization 
Meteor Showers On-line  /  Meteor Showers On-line Calendar
NASA Solar System Exploration - Meteoroids  
SPACE.com - Meteors
StarDate Online - Meteor Showers & Viewing Tips  
The Nine Planets - Meteors, Meteorites & Impacts
Wikipedia - Meteors 
Windows To The Universe - Meteors 

Meteor Showers

Delta Aquarids
The Delta Aquarids are a meteor shower that occur each year from July 14 - Aug.18, with a maximum on July 28-29. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of an unknown comet, and icy debris from the comet burns up as it enters the Earth's atmosphere. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Aquarius, (but they do not).

Eta Aquarids
The Eta Aquarids are a meteor shower that occur each year from April 21 - May 12, with a maximum on May 5-6. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of Halley's Comet, and icy debris from the comet burns up as it enters the Earth's atmosphere. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Aquarius, but they do not come from those stars.

Geminids
The Geminids are a meteor shower that occur each year from Dec. 6-19, with a maximum on Dec. 13-14. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of the asteroid #3200 Phaeton, and dusty remnants of the asteroids burn up as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Gemini (but they do not).

Leonids    Premier Meteor Shower
The Leonids are a meteor shower that occur each year from Nov. 14-20, with a maximum on Nov. 17-18-19. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of the comet Tempel-Tuttle, and icy remnants of the comet burn up as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Leo (but they do not). 

Lyrids  
The Lyrids peak around April 21-22. Source:  Comet Thatcher.  This is not a particularly strong display, with rates typically peaking near 10 per hour; however, it can offer up a few surprises. There have been several occasions when the rate has peaked at 100 per hour! Unfortunately, these outbursts are not predictable. Shortly after May begins, the Eta Aquarids peak around May 5/6. This meteor shower emanates from the southern portion of the sky, so that observers in the Southern Hemisphere will see a better display. On the average, rates peak at 10 per hour for Northern Hemisphere observers and 30 per hour for Southern Hemisphere observers. The Eta Aquarids are particularly interesting because as you watch the display you will be seeing particles that were shed by the famous Halley's Comet several thousand years ago.   (source Meteor Showers Online)

Orionids    
The Orionids are a meteor shower that occur each year from Oct. 15-29, with a maximum on Oct. 21-22. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of Halley's Comet, and icy remnants of the comet burn up as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Orion, (but they do not).  These meteors are colorful and fast, although the numbers are only about 20 per hour at peak. You'll need a dark location, clear skies, warm clothing and patience. Look east, between Gemini and Orion.   At best, the Orionids usually produce about one meteor every three minutes on the average, at peak. 

Perseids   Premier Meteor Shower
The Perseids are a meteor shower that occur each year from July 23 - Aug. 22, with a maximum on Aug. 12. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of the comet Swift-Tuttle, and icy remnants of the comet burn up as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. This meteor shower has am average magnitude of 2.3. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Perseus (but they do not).

Like most meteor showers, the Perseids are caused by comet debris.  As comets enter the inner solar system, they are warmed by the sun and peppered by the solar wind, which produces the familiar tails that stretch across the night sky when a bright comet is close to Earth.  Comet tails are made of tiny pieces of ice, dust, and rock which are spewed into interplanetary space as they bubble off the comet's nucleus.  When Earth encounters these particles on its journey around the Sun, they strike the atmosphere speeds exceeding 100,000 mph. (The average speed of Perseid meteoroids is 130,000 mph!)  Most are observed as a bright streak across the sky that can last for several seconds, but occasionally a large fragment will explode in a multicolored fireball.  Most of the streaks (popularly called 'shooting stars') are caused by meteoroids about the size of a grain of sand, but much less dense.  Although they travel at high speeds, these tiny meteoroids pose no threat to people or objects on the ground. 

The Perseids were the first meteors ever associated with a particular comet.  From 1861 to 1863, observers noted a great increase in the number of August Perseids.  As many as 215 per hour were seen in 1863.  The Italian astronomer Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli (better known for giving the name "canali," or "channels," to the dark linear markings on Mars) calculated the orbits of some Perseid meteoroids and discovered that they closely matched that of periodic comet Swift-Tuttle, which had been discovered in 1862 during its close approach to Earth.  Swift-Tuttle orbits the Sun once every 135 years. The last time it passed near Earth was in December 1992. The proximity of the comet once again caused an increase in Perseid activity and, in August 1993, observers in Central Europe were treated to 200 to 500 meteors per hour. Swift-Tuttle won't make another swing through the inner solar system until 2126, but when it does the comet itself is expected to be an impressive sight as seen from Earth, rivaling Comet Hyakutake in 1996 or Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997.

Perseid Viewing Tips and Information:
     APOD:  Perseid Meteor Shower  /  Comet Swift-Tuttle  
     Aug 09, 2004  Horseflies and Meteors     
     Aug 05, 2004  2004 An Excellent Year for the Perseids   
     Aug 05, 2004  Perseid Meteor Shower to peak night of Aug. 11-12   
     Aug 05, 2004  Perseid Meteor Shower night of Aug. 11-12   
     Jun 25, 2004  The 2004 Perseid Meteor Shower
     Aug 09, 1999  Here Come the Perseids!   
     Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing Tips   StarDate Online
     2002 Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing Guide   SPACE.com
     Top Ten Perseid Meteor Shower Facts   SPACE.com
     Comet Swift-Tuttle History   American Meteor Society
     2002 Summer Meteor Shower   Science@NASA

Quadrantids
The Quadrantids are a meteor shower that occur each year from Dec. 8 - Jan. 7, with a maximum on Jan. 3. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of an unknown comet, and icy remnants of the comet burn up as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Boötes (but they don't).

Ursids
The Ursids are a meteor shower that occur each year from Dec. 17-25, with a maximum on Dec. 22. This meteor shower occurs each year as the Earth passes through the orbit of comet Tuttle 1790, and icy remnants of the comet burn up as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The meteors in this shower seem to emanate from the constellation Ursa Minor, (but they don't).

Return to the Reference Directory