MeteoroidA small rock or dust grain travelling in SPACE.
MeteorThe streak of LIGHT as it burns up in the atmosphere: a “shooting star”.
MeteoriteA piece that survives and lands on the GROUND.
| Meteor shower | Peak (approx.) | Comet / source |
|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | early January | asteroid 2003 EH1 |
| Perseids | mid-August | Comet Swift–Tuttle |
| Orionids | late October | Halley’s Comet |
| Leonids | mid-November | Comet Tempel–Tuttle |
| Geminids | mid-December | asteroid 3200 Phaethon |
Showers happen when Earth passes through the dusty trail left by a comet or asteroid, on the same dates every year.