Active Meteor Showers

By Pierre Martin

The following information is based according to data from the International Meteor Organization.
 

SHOWER ACTIVITY PERIOD MAXIMUM RADIANT POSITION AT MAXIMUM VELOCITY (K/SEC) ZHR
QUADRANTIDS JAN 1 - 5 JAN 4 15 20 +49 42 120
LYRIDS APR 16 - 25 APR 22 18 04 +34 49 15
ETA AQUARIDS APR 19 - MAY 28 MAY 6 22 32 -01 66 60
JUNE BOOTIDS JUN 26 - 30 JUN 27 15 00 +47 18 VAR
PEGASIDS JUL 7 - 13 JUL 9 22 40 +15 70 3
S.DELTA AQUARIDS JUL 12 - AUG 19 JUL 27 22 36 -16 41 20
ALPHA CAPRICORNIDS JUL 3 - AUG 15 JUL 29 20 28 -10 23 4
N.DELTA AQUARIDS JUL 15 - AUG 25 AUG 8 22 20 -05 42 4
PERSEIDS JUL 17 - AUG 24 AUG 12 03 04 +58 59 100
KAPPA CYGNIDS AUG 3 - 25 AUG 17 19 04 +59 25 3
ALPHA AURIGIDS AUG 25 - SEP 5 AUG 31 05 36 +42 66 10
DRACONIDS OCT 6 - 10 OCT 8 17 28 +54 20 VAR
ORIONIDS OCT 2 - NOV 7 OCT 21 06 20 +16 66 20
S.TAURIDS OCT 1 - NOV 25 NOV 5 03 28 +13 27 5
N.TAURIDS OCT 1 - NOV 25 NOV 12 03 52 +22 29 5
LEONIDS NOV 14 - 21 NOV 17 10 12 +22 71 VAR
ALPHA MONOCEROTIDS NOV 15 - 25 NOV 21 07 48 +01 65 VAR
GEMINIDS DEC 7 - 17 DEC 13 07 28 +33 35 120
URSIDS DEC 17 - 26 DEC 22 14 28 +76 33 10

Terms

ACTIVITY PERIOD: Period when some activity can be visually detected.

MAXIMUM: Expected date of maximum activity.

RADIANT POSITION: Radiant position (RA and decl (h m °) for the date of maximum activity.

VELOCITY: Velocity in kilometers per second; 11-25 is considered slow, 25-50 is medium speed and 50-72 is swift.

ZHR: ZHR (Hourly Hourly Rates). Theoretical meteor rates possible from a single observer under dark magn 6.5 skies, with the radiant lying at the zenith. Best viewing time is usually in the early morning hours after midnight. Please note that these hourly rates may vary from year to year. (var) means variable activity that may be strong one year and totally abscent the next.

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Ottawa Valley Astronomy and Observers Group