The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The comet orbits the sun approximately every 133 years. Lewis Swift of Marathon, New York, visually discovered it on July 16, 1862, using an […]
The Sky Tonight Update: Perseids Meteor Shower Read More »
The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. The Delta Aquariid meteor shower’s parent comet comes from the 96P/Machholz Complex. The 96P/Machholz Complex is a collection of eight meteor showers, including the Delta Aquariids, plus two comet groups (Marsden and Kracht), and at least
The Sky Tonight Update: Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower Read More »
The Eta Aquarids is an above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet Halley, which
The Sky Tonight Update: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower Read More »
The Lyrids is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered in 1861. The Lyrid meteor shower – spawned by this comet – seems to outburst, or produce an unexpectedly large number of meteors, every
The Sky Tonight Update: Lyrids Meteor Shower Read More »
