Perseid Meteor Shower
The annual perseid meteor shower occurs when the earth passes through a stream of dust from the comet swift tuttle as shown in this orbit diagram.
Perseid meteor shower. The perseids are one of the brighter meteor showers of the year. They occur every year between july 17 and august 24 and tend to peak around august 9 13. Nasa meteor expert bill cooke says the perseids produce more fireballs than any other meteor shower to the extent that he s nicknamed them the fireball champion during the perseids it s not.
The meteor shower is also visible on august 10 and august 13 as well according to the american meteor society. 12 according to nasa. Made of tiny space debris from the comet swift tuttle the perseids are named after the constellation perseus.
The shower s maximum when the greatest number of meteors per hour fall 50 per hour is typically in the pre dawn hours when it s still dark of august 11 12 or 13. Sky telescope magazine comet. What are the perseids.