A meteor shower happens when many meteors appear to come from a single point in the sky. This is caused by Earth passing through streams of space debris called meteoroids. Most meteoroids are tiny and burn up in the atmosphere. Meteor showers that produce many meteors are called meteor outbursts or storms. There are many known meteor showers, and resources like NASA's website provide information on when and where to view them.
1911: Stoney's Attempts to Calculate Dust Position
Irish astronomer George Johnstone Stoney, who lived from 1826 to 1911, was one of the first to attempt calculating the position of dust at Earth's orbit, a crucial step in understanding meteor showers.
1917: Downing's Contribution to Meteor Shower Predictions
British astronomer Arthur Matthew Weld Downing, who lived from 1850 to 1917, alongside Stoney, pioneered early attempts to predict meteor showers by calculating the position of dust in Earth's orbit.
1951: Whipple's "Dirty Snowball" Comet Model
Fred Whipple proposed the influential "dirty snowball" model of comets in 1951, explaining how they produce debris that cause meteor showers when they interact with Earth.
1966: Notable Leonid Meteor Storm
A significant Leonid meteor storm occurred in 1966, leaving a lasting impression on those fortunate enough to witness it.
1981: Yeomans's Review of Leonid Meteor Showers
In 1981, Donald K. Yeomans at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory reviewed the history of Leonid meteor showers and the orbit of Comet Tempel-Tuttle, significantly advancing our understanding of their relationship.
1985: Identification of Dust Responsible for Leonid Meteor Storms
E. D. Kondrat'eva and E. A. Reznikov of Kazan State University made a significant breakthrough in 1985 by identifying the specific years when dust was released, leading to past Leonid meteor storms.
1994: Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 Impact on Jupiter
The dramatic impact of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 on Jupiter in 1994 provided compelling evidence of large-scale impact events in our solar system.
1995: Demonstration of Gravitational Influence on Dust Trails
Observations of the 1995 alpha Monocerotids provided the first demonstration of how planets' gravity affects the path of dust trails, influencing meteor shower occurrences on Earth.
1995: Prediction of the Alpha Monocerotids Outburst
Peter Jenniskens successfully predicted the 1995 Alpha Monocerotids outburst, marking a significant advancement in meteor shower prediction by using dust trail analysis.
1999: Application of Dust Trail Method in the West
Robert H. McNaught, David Asher, and Esko Lyytinen applied the dust trail method for the 1999 Leonid storm, marking its first use in the West for accurate meteor shower prediction.
1999: Leonid Meteor Storm
The Leonid meteor shower peaked in 1999, producing a meteor storm with thousands of meteors per hour.
2001: Leonid Meteor Storms
Two separate Leonid meteor storms occurred in 2001, showcasing the unpredictable nature of this celestial event.
2002: Leonid Meteor Storms
The year 2002 witnessed two distinct Leonid meteor storms, further emphasizing the shower's tendency for intense peaks.
2003: Jenniskens's Theory on Short-Period Meteor Showers
Peter Jenniskens proposed a new theory in 2003, suggesting that many short-period meteor showers originate from the breakup of dormant comets rather than active ones.
March 7, 2004: Possible Meteor Observation on Mars
On March 7, 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured an image that is suspected to be a meteor associated with comet 114P/Wiseman-Skiff, suggesting the possibility of meteor showers on Mars.
2006: Jenniskens's Predictions for Future Dust Trail Encounters
Peter Jenniskens published predictions for dust trail encounters for the next 50 years in 2006, significantly advancing long-term meteor shower forecasting.
December 20, 2007: Predicted Martian Meteor Shower
A strong display of a Martian meteor shower associated with comet 114P/Wiseman-Skiff was anticipated on December 20, 2007, highlighting the potential for meteor showers on other planets.
2017: Publication of IMO Meteor Shower Calendar
The International Meteor Organization (IMO) published the Meteor Shower Calendar in 2017, providing detailed maps of drifting radiant points for meteor showers.
2021: Release of Infographics on Meteor Shower Calendar
Infographics detailing the 2021 Meteor Shower Calendar were released, enhancing public understanding and anticipation for these celestial events.