I WONDER - When Does A Meteor Shower Occur?

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris from comets or asteroids. They are named after nearby constellations or stars. The Perseid meteor shower, originating from Comet Swift Tuttle, is named after the constellation Perseus and is one of the most impressive. The Geminid meteor shower comes from the 3200 Python asteroid and features bright, fast meteors.

What are meteor showers usually named after?

• Planets

• Constellations

• Galaxies

• Stars

Name two meteor showers that occur each year.

• Perseids and Geminids

• Geminids and Leonids

• Orionids and Quadrantids

• Lyrids and Draconids

From which comet does the Perseid meteor shower originate?

• Comet Hale-Bopp

• Comet Swift-Tuttle

• Comet Shoemaker-Levy

• Comet NEOWISE

What is the origin of the Geminids meteor shower?

• Comet

• Asteroid

• Planet

• Star

Describe the characteristics of the meteors from the Geminids shower.

• Bright and fast

• Slow and dim

• Colorful and large

• Small and faint