Meteor showers are an astronomer’s favourite celestial event because they are dazzling and do not require tools to observe. Another reason why they are so popular is they are frequent – there are 37 named showers throughout the year. But not all showers are equal and some are far more spectacular than rest. The standout meteor showers are the Quadrantids, Geminids and Perseids.
Perseid meteor shower – August 12, 2019
The Perseids are bright, flashy and almost always guaranteed to dazzle astronomers.
The shower is active from mid-July until the last week of August and this year Perseids peak between August 12 and August 13.
Unfortunately, this year around, the presence of a bright Waxing Gibbous Moon will reduce the number of visible Perseids.
On a clear night with no interference from moonlight, the Perseids can produce up to 100 shooting stars an hour.
According to space agency NASA, this year we will see between 15 and 20 meteors an hour.
WATCH LIVE TONIGHT: Perseids 2019 live stream from Rome
Meteor showers 2019: A list of the best meteor showers before the year ends (Image: GETTY)
Draconid meteor shower – October 8, 2019
The Draconids or Giacobinids are a variable meteor shower, meaning their intensity varies each year.
In the past, such as in 1933 and 1946, the meteor shower spewed thousands of meteors into our skies during so-called meteor storms.
For the most part, however, the shower will only produce about five meteors an hour during its peak.
The meteors emerge from a point in the constellation Draco the Dragon in the northern skies.
READ MORE: Top 5 astronomy events you can’t miss this year – Eclipses to meteor showers
Southern Taurid meteor shower – October 10, 2019
The Southern Taurids are active between September and the end of November, and peak in the middle of October.
The Taurids – both branches – are rich in fireballs
The meteor shower is produced by the orbital debris of Comet Encke – a periodic comet orbiting the Sun every 3.3 years.
The American Meteor Society said: “The shower is active for more than two months but rarely produces more than five shower members per hour, even at maximum activity.
“The Taurids – both branches – are rich in fireballs and are often responsible for increased number of fireball reports from September through November.”
The Taurids have a sister shower between November and December, dubbed the Northern Taurids.
READ MORE: See the best pictures of Earth from 250 miles up in space
Meteor showers 2019: Asteroid, comet and meteor fact box (Image: GETTY)
Orionid meteor shower – October 21, 2019
The Orionids are a “medium-strength” shower that peaks in the third week of October.
According to the American Meteor Society, the shower sometimes erupts with intense activity.
Typically, the shower will produce between 10 to 20 shooting stars an hour.
But between 2006 and 2009, the Orionids matched the Perseids with 50 to 75 meteors an hour.
Meteor showers 2019: Meteors are typically the debris of a large comet (Image: GETTY)
Leonid meteor shower – November 17, 2019
The Leonids are another shower that tends to be quiet for many years until they erupt into spectacular meteor storms.
The last time this happened, was in 1833, 1886, 1966, 1999 and 2001.
Leonids are the orbital debris of the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.
Unfortunately, astronomers do not expect another meteor storm until the year 2099.
Geminid meteor shower – December 14, 2019
The Geminids, together with the Perseids and Quadrantids, counts as one of the best showers of the year.
The meteor shower peaks in mid-December and can produce upwards of 100 meteors an hour on the night of the peak.
The American Meteor Society said: “The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year and meteor enthusiasts are certain to circle December 13 and 14 on their calendars.
“This is the one major shower that provides good activity prior to midnight as the constellation of Gemini is well placed from 10pm onward.”
“The Geminids are often bright and intensely coloured.”
Meteor showers 2019: The Ursids are the last named meteor shower of the year (Image: GETTY)
Ursid meteor shower – December 22, 2019
The Ursids are the very last named meteor shower of the year but, unfortunately, they are not among the most spectacular ones.
Ursids typically produce around 10 meteors an hour during their peak.
The meteor shower occurs when Earth slams into the orbital debris of Comet 8P/Tuttle.
The shower is also very short-lived and typically lasts around 10 days or less.