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I Didn't Know That!: Shooting Stars

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Seeing a shooting star is a magical experience. They have captivated humans for generations. Dozens of cultures assign meaning to shooting stars—from granting wishes to the spiritual representation of souls. Throughout the year, our night skies light up with celestial events, called meteor showers, where countless shooting stars streak across the sky. As you gaze up at the starry show, you might wonder, what are shooting stars and what causes these meteor showers to recur year after year. We’re here to shine some light on these seemingly magical celestial events.


Meteoroids and Meteors and Meteorites—Oh My!

infographic showing the difference between an asteroid, meteoroid, meteor, and meteorite

NPS

First let’s define some terms.

Meteoroids are chunks of ice or rock in space ranging in size from a grain of sand to a boulder.

Asteroids are much bigger, from the size of a small house to miles wide.

Meteors (aka shooting stars) occur when meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds and burn up with a streaking flash of light.

Meteorites are pieces of meteors that don’t burn up during their trip through the atmosphere and hit the ground.

the night sky with view of the milky way and a shooting star
The night sky and a shooting star at Isle Royale National Park.

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

Meteor Showers

Meteors streak through our sky on any given night. In fact, NASA scientists estimate that about 48 tons of “meteoritic material” (space debris) falls on Earth every day, with most of it burning up in the atmosphere. While you can catch a lucky glimpse of a meteor any night, the best times to see them are during meteor showers. During a meteor shower, many meteors hit the atmosphere in a short period of time, producing the brilliant trails that we fondly call “shooting stars.”

Meteor showers are predictable and intensify when the Earth’s orbit passes through streams of debris left behind from comets. Meteors in a meteor shower tend to originate from a single point in the sky. Because of this, meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear.


Annual Meteor Showers

Mark your calendars! These meteor showers occur annually and are great opportunities for stargazing. Your ability to clearly see meteor showers is strongly affected by the phase of the moon and the atmospheric conditions, so the viewing conditions can change from year to year. Click on the links in the table below to learn more about these annual meteor showers from our friends at NASA.

* For observers in the northern hemisphere.
** Estimated rate per hour in under perfect conditions, based on activity in recent years

Major Meteor Showers

Typical Peak

Rate of Meteors Per Hour**

Quadrantids

Early January

120

Lyrids

Late April

18

Eta Aquariids

Early May

60

Southern Delta Aquariids

Late July

20

Perseids

Mid-August

100

Orionids

Late October

22

Leonids

Mid-November

15

Geminids

Mid-December

120

Ursids

Late-December

10

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What You Can Do

  1. Mark your calendar for an annual meteor shower listed above.
  2. Plan a stargazing adventure
  3. Become a Junior Ranger Night Explorer
  4. Discover how to protect night skies at home.

Pass It On!

Did you learn something new? Next time you spot a shooting star, you’ll know the science behind the magic—so, pass it on! Our world is full of wonder, but there’s no way for everyone to be an expert in everything. That’s why sharing knowledge is so important!

Download or screenshot this card to share with a friend as you plan your next stargazing adventure.

Check out other I Didn’t Know That! Topics.

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Last updated: December 1, 2023