A meteor shower is a celestial event where numerous meteors are observed radiating from a single point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at high speeds on parallel trajectories. Most meteors are tiny particles that burn up in the atmosphere, creating bright streaks or "shooting stars" visible from the ground. Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through the debris trail left by a comet or sometimes an asteroid. Meteor showers are named after the constellation or star from which the meteors appear to originate, known as the radiant point. Famous meteor showers include the Perseids, Leonids, Geminids, and Quadrantids. The Perseids, for example, occur annually between mid-July and late August, peaking around August 12, and are associated with Comet Swift-Tuttle. Meteor shower rates vary, with some showers producing tens to hundreds of meteors per hour under optimal conditions. Meteor showers are predictable, with many established showers having regular peak dates each year. Viewing conditions such as clear, dark skies away from city lights vastly improve the chances of observing them. The meteors seen are small debris particles from comets that vaporize in the atmosphere, leaving glowing trails. In 2025, notable meteor showers include:
- Quadrantids (peak January 4)
- Lyrids (peak April 22)
- Eta Aquariids (peak May 5)
- Perseids (active July 17 - August 24, peak August 12)
- Leonids (peak November 17)
- Geminids (peak December 14)
Each shower is associated with a parent comet or asteroid that sheds debris along its orbit, intersecting Earth's path annually.
