Shooting Stars

[jordys]

I've been told that shooting stars are most common in autumn but have not been able to find out why.<br /><br />Is this true and if so, can anyone tell me why?

 

[billslugg]

What you have been told is correct. It is not because of the season, but just happens to be that way by chance. The Earth intercepts many dust streams as it orbits the Sun, and all the good ones just happen to be from Jun to Dec. If you go to this site and page down to 744 you will see a graph over a two year period of meteor activity. It is easy to see that the last half of the year is the best. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[jordys]

Thanks for the information!

 

[MeteorWayne]

Bill is correct, we call it meteor season <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />The Peresids (July and August) occur at the end of summer.<br /><br />The alpha Aurigids (early September)<br />Orionids (October)<br />Leonids (November)<br />all occur in the fall.<br /><br />The last two big showers of meteor season<br />are the Geminids (December)<br />and Quadrantids (early January) are in early Winter.<br /><br />However, even between major showers, the sporadic rate (meteors not associated with known showers) is highest in the autumn, both for the northern hemishere (Sept-Nov), and for the southern hemisphere (March-May). It is suspected (but not proven) that this is due to the intersection of the hemisphere with random material due to the earth's tilt.<br /><br />BTW, there's a thread ongoing about the Orionid meteor shower in the Space Science Astronomy forum right now.<br /><br />I'll be updating it with my observations after the shuttle launch.<br /><br />Meteor Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[jordys]

Thanks for posing a reply