You will see meteors on any starry night if you look for long enough. That's because the earth is always sweeping up small rocks and bits of dust that get burned up in the atmosphere. Meteors that seem to share a particular point of origin in the sky are often described collectively as a meteor shower. The shower is named for the constellation it seems to originate from.

Most meteor showers have been associated with comets. When the earth passes through a comet's trail, the atmosphere burns up dust the comet left behind. But these meteors don't appear all at once. They are spread out over a few hours, days, or weeks. When astronomers have sufficient information about a comet's past orbits (and therefore where its dust trails are), a peak meteor shower time can be predicted. For the most part, meteor showers observers must settle for knowing a peak day. But sometimes it's possible to know the peak hour.

There are and have been more meteor showers than those listed here. Some showers have such faint and infrequent meteors, only observers looking for a challenge are interested. Meteor showers go extinct as dust trails thin and orbits drift. There are also daytime meteor showers detectable only because they reflect radar and cause temporary disruptions to some communications systems.

Meteor showers in 2008

The Draconids (Oct. 8-9) are a low frequency shower with just ten meteors per hour at their peak. The meteors are rather dim. So expect the best viewing in 2008 to be in the early morning darkness after the gibbous waxing moon has set. Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner is the parent.

The Orionids (Oct. 21-22) are forecast to peak on Oct. 21st at 4 hours. They are produced when the earth strikes dust left by Comet 1P/Halley. The meteors are very fast and peak at about 20 per hour. They are often reported to be yellow or green. An almost last quarter moon will interfere with this shower after midnight. The evening view will be best.

The Taurids (Oct 31) put on a great show in 2005. People all over North America saw bright fireballs. Some claimed these fireballs were brighter than the full moon. Several astronomers complained they lost their night adapted vision because of them. The moon will be just past new for this shower in 2008, although if the fireballs are as bright as in 2005, that won't matter. Researcher David Asher at Armagh Observatory in the United Kingdom predicts Earth will pass through Comet 2P/Encke's dust trail again for the 2008 shower, thus producing a good show.

The Leonids (Nov. 17-18) peak on Nov. 17th at 7 hours. This shower last peaked in 2001. Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle is responsible for it. As 2008 is not expected to be a peak year, and as the moon is just past full, don't expect a great show this time around.

The Geminids (Dec. 13-14) are a very colorful show. White, yellow, blue, red, and green are often reported. This shower is the only one known to be caused by the earth's passage through an asteroid's dust trail. The parent is 3200 Phaethon. Viewing won't be very good though in 2008 due to the full moon.

Meteor showers in 2009

Quadrantids - January 3 Sky & Telescope magazine predicts a 12:50 maximum on the 3rd for this shower. These meteors' trails trace back to a spot between Bootes and Draco. This region used to be the constellation Quadrans Muralis, hence the name Quadrantids. There will be up to 40 fast, bright blue meteors per hour. The point of origin is up in the morning hours, so the first quarter moon will be down. The parent comet is 2003 EH1.

April Lyrids - April 22 The possible peak time is 13h UTC. These meteors are fast and bright and often leave trails that fade slowly over several seconds. The new moon won't wash them out this year. These meteors originate in Lyra, which is a morning constellation in April. The parent comet is C/Thatcher.

Eta Aquarids - May 7 The nearly full moon will spoil this one in 2009. The possible peak time is 11h UTC. If you want to try your luck, the originating constellation Aquarius is up in the morning. This is one of two showers associated with Comet 1P/Halley.

June Lyrids - June 15 The possible peak time is 15h UTC. A last quarter moon will spoil morning views. Up to 10 meteors per hour may be seen during the peak. This shower was observed several times in the 1960s and 1970s but hasn't produced much to talk about since. The originating constellation Lyra is up most of the night, so look in the evening for the best view. The source of this shower isn't known.

Delta Aquarids - July 28 Expect about 20 meteors per hour at the peak. They are usually yellow. The possible peak time this year is 16h UTC. The meteors originate in Aquarius which is mostly a morning constellation this time of year. So the first quarter moon will have set during the best viewing time. This has a broad peak, so broad you may be able to see these meteors up to two weeks before and after the peak date. The parent is unknown.

Capricornids - July 30 These meteors are slow, yellow, and infrequent. But sometimes they produce bright fireballs. Expect around 15 per hour at their peak, which could be at 3h this year. The originating constellation is up most of the night. A waxing first quarter moon will wash out the view during the evening hours.

Perseids - August 12 You can see up to 60 meteors per hour. The possible peak this year is at 22h. It's another broad-peak shower, seen up to two weeks before and after the peak date. Those in the northern hemisphere could enjoy this shower all night, owing to the fact that the constellation Perseus is close to the north celestial pole. The recently full moon could make things tough though. The parent is Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

Draconids - October 9 The possible peak time is 17h. These meteors are infrequent and dim, and a recently full moon will spoil the view. The source is Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.

Orionids - October 22 The thin crescent moon will set during the evening twilight before it has a chance to spoil this one. Up to 20 yellow and green meteors may be seen per hour. Some may be bright fireballs. The peak time is possibly 0h. Orion is a late evening and morning constellation this time of year. The parent is Comet 1P/Halley.

Leonids - November 17 The possible peak time is 11h. You could see hundreds of Leonids per hour during a really good peak, but don't expect that this year. The peak years have mostly been 33 years apart, and the last peak year was 2001. Nevertheless, whatever happens this year, the moon is new and skies will be dark all night. Leo is a morning constellation, so the best views will be after midnight. Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle is the parent.

Geminids - December 14 This is a multi-color meteor shower. Most of them are white, but you'll also see green, blue, red, and yellow. This is the only shower associated with an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon. The possible peak time is 2h. The thin crescent moon will rise in the morning twilight, so won't cause much inconvenience. How convenient then that Gemini is up all night.