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Zoom Astronomy Comets |
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Zoom Astronomy Comets |
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| Introduction to Comets | Crossing a Comet's Orbit: Meteor Showers | Comet Origins | Major Comets | Acitvities, Web Links |
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The Earth passes through the orbit of some comets. When this happens, the left-over comet debris (rocks, etc.) bombards the Earth and they burn up in our atmosphere. This is called a meteor shower. In it, many meteors fall through the atmosphere in a relatively short time and in approximately parallel trajectories.
| Meteor Shower | Approximate Dates | Date of Maximum | Approximate Hourly Rate of Meteors | Velocity km/sec |
Parent Comet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids (visible by Boötes) | Dec. 8-Jan. 7 | Jan. 3 | 40-60 | 42 | unknown |
| Lyrids | Apr. 16-25 | Apr. 22 | 10-15 | 48 | Thatcher 18611 |
| Eta Aquarids | April 21-May 12 | May 5-6 | 20-50 | 66 | Halley (periodic) |
| Delta Aquarids | July 14-Aug.18 | July 28-29 | 20 | 41 | unknown |
| Perseids | July 23-Aug. 22 | Aug. 12 | 50-75 | 60 | Swift-Tuttle (periodic) |
| Orionids | Oct. 15-29 | Oct. 21-22 | 20-25 | 66 | Halley (periodic) |
| Southern Taurids | Sept 17-Nov. 27 | Oct. 30- Nov. 7 | 10-15 | x | Encke (periodic) |
| Leonids | Nov. 14-20 | Nov. 17-18 | 15-80+++ | 71 | Tempel-Tuttle (periodic) |
| Geminids | Dec. 6-19 | Dec. 13-14 | 50-85 | 35 | Asteroid #3200 Phaeton |
| Ursids | Dec. 17-25 | Dec. 22 | 15 | 34 | Tuttle |
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