List of All Annual Meteor Showers
Most of us love meteor showers, and a good meteor shower can brighten anyone's night. Some of us more crafty guys have even used our knowledge of meteor showers and their annual occurrences to impress the ladies, or to create the perfect end to a perfect evening.
Whatever your reasons may be for loving those glowing streaks in the sky, it can be very handy to know when meteor showers will occur and where to find them in the sky. The list below is of forty-three annual meteor showers which occur either in the northern or southern hemispheres.
Some of the more prominent meteor showers are listed in capital letters.
Annual Meteor Showers (Jan. - June)
QUADRANTIDS
Peak Date: Jan. 3
General Duration: Jan. 1 – Jan. 4
Hourly Rate: 55
Radiant (point of origin): Near Big Dipper in the Constellation of Bootes
Delta Cancrids
Peak Date: Jan. 16
General Duration: Jan. 1 – Jan. 31
Hourly Rate: 4
Radiant (point of origin): Between Leo and Gemini in the Constellation of Cancer
Alpha Centaurids
Peak Date: Feb. 7
General Duration: Jan. 28 – Feb. 21
Hourly Rate: 6
Radiant (point of origin): Southern Hemisphere in the Constellation Centaurus
Delta Leonids
Peak Date: Feb. 24
General Duration: Feb. 15 – Mar. 10
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): In the Constellation of Leo; usually faint
Gamma Normids
Peak Date: Mar. 13
General Duration: Feb. 5 – Mar. 22
Hourly Rate: 8
Radiant (point of origin): Southern Hemisphere in the Constellation Norma
Virginids
Peak Date: Mar. 20
General Duration: Mar. 5 – Apr. 2
Hourly Rate: 20
Radiant (point of origin): Between Leo and Libra in the Constellation of Virgo
LYRIDS
Peak Date: Apr. 21
General Duration: Apr. 19 – Apr. 24
Hourly Rate: 10
Radiant (point of origin): Near Vega in Constellation Lyra; from Comet Thatcher
Pi Puppids
Peak Date: Apr. 23
General Duration: Apr. 15 – Apr. 28
Hourly Rate: 5-40
Radiant (point of origin): Southern Hemisphere; from Comet Grigg-Skjellerup
ETA AQUARIDS
Peak Date: May 6
General Duration: Apr. 19 – May 28
Hourly Rate: 15
Radiant (point of origin): In the Constellation Aquarius; from Comet Halley
Alpha Scorpiids
Peak Date: May 16
General Duration: May 1 – May 31
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): Near Antares in the Constellation of Scorpius
ARIETIDS
Peak Date: Jun. 7
General Duration: May 22 – Jul. 2
Hourly Rate: 54
Radiant (point of origin): Visible before dawn in Constellation of Aries
June Lyrids
Peak Date: Jun. 16
General Duration: Jun. 10 – Jul. 24
Hourly Rate: 15
Radiant (point of origin): Near Vega in the Constellation of Lyra
Sagittarids
Peak Date: Jun. 19
General Duration: Jun. 1 – Jun. 15
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): Between Sagittarius and Scorpius
June Bootids
Peak Date: Jun. 28
General Duration: Jun. 28
Hourly Rate: 10-100
Radiant (point of origin): Near Big Dipper; from Comet Pons-Winnecke
Books about Meteor Showers
Annual Meteor Showers (July - Dec.)
July Pegasids
Peak Date: Jul. 10
General Duration: Jul. 7 – Jul. 13
Hourly Rate: 3
Radiant (point of origin): In the Constellation of Pegasus (in the Great Square)
July Phoenicids
Peak Date: Jul. 13
General Duration: Jul. 10 – Jul. 16
Hourly Rate: 5-100
Radiant (point of origin): Southern Hemisphere in the Constellation of the Phoenix
Piscis Austrinids
Peak Date: Jul. 28
General Duration: Jul. 15 – Aug. 10
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): Near Pegasus in the Constellation Pisces
SOUTHERN DELTA AQUARIDS
Peak Date: Jul. 29
General Duration: Jul. 15 – Aug. 18
Hourly Rate: 25
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Constellation Capricornus
Alpha Capricornids
Peak Date: Jul. 30
General Duration: Jul. 3 – Aug. 15
Hourly Rate: 4
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Constellation Capricornus
Southern Iota Aquariids
Peak Date: Aug. 4
General Duration: Jul. 25 – Aug. 15
Hourly Rate: 2
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Constellation of Aquarius
Northern Delta Aquariids
Peak Date: Aug. 8
General Duration: Jul. 15 – Aug. 25
Hourly Rate: 4
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Constellation of Caprincornus
Peak Date: Aug. 12
General Duration: Jul. 17 – Aug. 24
Hourly Rate: 90
Radiant (point of origin): In the Constellation of Perseus; from Comet Swift-Tuttle
Kappa Cygnids
Peak Date: Aug. 17
General Duration: Aug. 3 – Aug. 25
Hourly Rate: 3
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Northern Cross in the Constellation of Cygnus
Northern Iota Aquariids
Peak Date: Aug. 20
General Duration: Aug. 11 – Aug. 31
Hourly Rate: 3
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Constellation of Aquarius
Alpha Aurigids
Peak Date: Sep. 1
General Duration: Aug. 25 – Sep. 8
Hourly Rate: 12
Radiant (point of origin): Near Taurus in the Constellation of Auriga
September Perseides
Peak Date: Sep. 8
General Duration: Sep. 5 – Oct. 10
Hourly Rate: 6
Radiant (point of origin): In the Constellation of Perseus; from Comet Swift-Tuttle
Piscids
Peak Date: Sep. 20
General Duration: Sep. 1 - Sep. 30
Hourly Rate: 15
Radiant (point of origin): Near Pegasus in the Constellation of Pisces
October Arietids
Peak Date: Oct. 8
General Duration: Oct. 1 – Oct. 31
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): Near Taurus and the Constellation of Aries
GIACOBINIDS (also Draconids)
Peak Date: Oct. 8
General Duration: Oct. 6 – Oct. 10
Hourly Rate: 200
Radiant (point of origin): In the Northern Sky near the Constellation Draco
Epsilon Geminids
Peak Date: Oct. 18
General Duration: Oct. 14 – Oct. 27
Hourly Rate: 2
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Constellation of Gemini
ORIONIDS
Peak Date: Oct. 21
General Duration: Oct. 2 – Nov. 7
Hourly Rate: 25
Radiant (point of origin): Between Orion and Gemini; from Comet Halley
Southern Taurids
Peak Date: Nov. 5
General Duration: Nov. 1 – Nov. 25
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): Near Pleaides in the Constellation of Taurus
Northern Taurids
Peak Date: Nov. 12
General Duration: Nov. 1 – Nov. 25
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): Near Pleaides in the Constellation of Taurus
Leonids (spectacular about every 33 yrs)
Peak Date: Nov. 17
General Duration: Nov. 14 – Nov. 20
Hourly Rate: 20
Radiant (point of origin): In Leo; from Comet Temple (500,000 /hr in 1966)
Alpha Monocerotids
Peak Date: Nov. 21
General Duration: Nov. 15 – Nov. 25
Hourly Rate: 4-400
Radiant (point of origin): Near Orion in the Constellation of Monoceros
Chi Orionids
Peak Date: Dec. 2
General Duration: Nov. 25 – Dec. 31
Hourly Rate: 3
Radiant (point of origin): Near Orion and Gemini
GEMINIDS
Peak Date: Dec. 5
General Duration: Dec. 4 – Dec. 7
Hourly Rate: 120
Radiant (point of origin): Near Gemini; from Minor Planet 3200 Phaethon
Phoenicids
Peak Date: Dec. 6
General Duration: Nov. 28 – Dec. 9
Hourly Rate: 30
Radiant (point of origin): Southern Hemisphere in the Constellation of the Phoenix
Monocerotids
Peak Date: Dec. 9
General Duration: Nov. 27 – Dec. 17
Hourly Rate: 3
Radiant (point of origin): Near Orion in the Constellation of Monoceros
Sigma Hydrids
Peak Date: Dec. 12
General Duration: Dec. 3 – Dec. 15
Hourly Rate: 2
Radiant (point of origin): Near Castor in the Constellation of Gemini
Puppid-Velids
Peak Date: Dec. 12
General Duration: Dec. 2 – Dec. 16
Hourly Rate: 4
Radiant (point of origin): Southern Hemisphere in the Constellation of Carina
Coma Berenicids
Peak Date: Dec. 20
General Duration: Dec. 12 – Jan. 23
Hourly Rate: 5
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Constellation of Leo in Coma Star Cluster
URSIDS
Peak Date: Dec. 22
General Duration: Dec. 17 – Dec. 24
Hourly Rate: 18
Radiant (point of origin): Near the Little Dipper; from Comet Tuttle
