MadSci Network: Astronomy |
Dear Eric,
The next meteor shower is the Sigma Hydrids on Tuesday, December 11, but they
are faint and sparse. The Geminids hit our atmosphere on Thursday, December 13.
Meteor showers occur frequently, every time our Earth encounters the cloud of dust left from a comet. Here are two more upcoming events:
December 19, the Coma Berenicids
December 22, the Ursids
Like the recent Leonids, most meteor showers derive their name from the constellation from which the meteors appear to originate: Gemini for the Geminids, Coma Berenices for the Coma Berenicids, etc.
For more information, check Gary W. Kronk's Comet and Meteor Showers document.
Sincerely yours,
Jim Foerch
James C. Veen Observatory
Lowell, Michigan, USA
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