Meteor Showers

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Meteor Showers (cont.)

Meteor showers are usually named for the constellation in which their radiant lies at the peak of the shower…

Ex.: Perseid shower = Perseus

Ex.: Leonid shower = Leo

Ex.: Geminid shower = Gemini

Slide 9

Specific Meteor Showers

Meteor showers occur on a regular basis throughout the year, but not all are visible in the northern latitudes & some are very weak and easily go unnoticed…

Some of the more impressive showers throughout a given year are:

Shower Avg. Peak

- Quadrantids – early January

- Lyrids – mid April

- Perseids – early/mid August

- Orionids – mid/late October

- Leonids – mid November

- Geminids – mid December

Slide 10

That’s All…

Slide 11

3 Questions…

1. True/False: The material or element that makes up a meteor is the main factor that determines the color of the glowing trail left behind

True

2. This major meteor shower has a peak time around early/mid August:

a. Geminids b. Leonids

c. Orionids d. Perseids

d. Perseids

3. What is the point in the sky from which all of the meteors seem to come during a shower called?

Radiant

Slide 12

References…

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/meteors/showers.html

http://www.sky-watch.com/meteor.html

http://hometown.aol.com/theleonids/

http://www.geocities.com/~starwanderer/meteor.htm

http://www.meteorobs.org/showers.html

http://www.amsmeteors.org/showers.html