METEOR SHOWERS:  Get out the calendar and keep an eye 
to the night sky—the meteor showers are coming…details 
on Passport to Texas…

This is Passport to Texas

When small fragments of cosmic debris—created when a 
comet swings past the sun—enter the earth’s atmosphere 
at high rates of speed, they’re visible as streaks of light 
in the night sky. And there are plenty of meteor showers 
on the way.

The popular Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-
August, is among the more popular meteor events, and 
seems to originate from the constellation Perseus. In dark 
sky locations, expect to see up to 75 meteors an hour. 

From early October to Mid-November the Orionids [Or-
EYE-oh-nidz] are visible. In a normal year you may see 20-
25 meteors an hour; in a great year, as many as 50/hr.

The Leonids, are visible much of November, caused by the 
comet Temple-Tuttle. The Leonids have offered stunning 
meteor storms as recently as 2001, but expect only 15 
meteors an hour through 2031 when the comet 
reappears.

The Geminids, visible from early to mid-December, are 
often bright and intensely colored. Meteors start showing 
up before 10 p.m., which means you don’t have to get up 
in the middle of the night to see them.

And, the Ursid meteor shower—active from December 17 
through December 23—is often neglected because it 
peaks just before Christmas, and immediately after the 
Geminids have peaked. You may see from 10 to15 Ursids 
an hour.

Whether you see 1 or 100 metors, it’s always a thrill.
 
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.


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