Meteor Streams
Meteor streams are groups of meteoroids originating typically from dust grains ejected from comets. These small dust grains are distributed along the parent comet’s orbit concentrated close to the comet nucleus with fewer grains farther away from the nucleus. Every time the Earth passes through such a stream of dust particles (i.e. meteor stream), we experience what is known as a meteor shower.
Of particular interest to solar system dynamics is the association of a parent (source) body with a specific meteor stream. The following table lists known meteor streams with significant activity in chronological order of peak activity. In addition to the name of the meteor stream and time of peak activity, the associated parent body (where known) is also shown.
| code | Meteor Stream | Peak Activity | PO | ID | Parent Body |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QUA | Quadrantids | early January | 01-05 | a0196256 | 196256 (2003 EH1) |
| DCA | delta-Cancrids | mid-January | 01-15 | ||
| ACE | alpha Centaurids | early February | 02-05 | ||
| LYR | April Lyrids | late April | 04-25 | dI61G010 | C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) |
| PPU | pi Puppids | late April | 04-26 | c00026_0 | 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup |
| ETA | eta Aquariids | early May | 05-05 | c00001_0 | 1P/Halley |
| ELY | eta Lyrids | mid-May | 05-15 | dJ83H010 | C/1983 H1 (IRAS-Araki-Alcock) |
| JBO | June Bootids | late June | 06-25 | c00007_0 | 7P/Pons-Winnecke |
| JPE | July Pegasids | early July | 07-05 | dJ79Y010 | C/1979 Y1 (Bradfield) |
| SDA | Southern delta Aquariids | late July | 07-25 | dK08Y120 | P/2008 Y12 (SOHO) |
| CAP | alpha Capricornids | late July | 07-26 | c00169_0 | 169P/NEAT |
| PAU | Piscis Austrinids | late July | 07-27 | ||
| NDA | Northern delta Aquariids | mid-August | 08-15 | ||
| NIA | Northern iota Aquariids | mid-August | 08-16 | ||
| KCG | kappa Cygnids | mid-August | 08-17 | ||
| PER | Perseids | mid-August | 08-18 | c00109_0 | 109P/Swift-Tuttle |
| NIA | Northern iota Aquariids | late-August | 08-25 | ||
| AUR | Aurigids | late August | 08-26 | dK11N010 | C/1911 N1 (Kiess) |
| SPE | September epsilon Perseids | mid-September | 09-15 | ||
| DRA | October Draconids | early October | 10-05 | c00021_0 | 21P/Giacobini-Zinner |
| EGE | epsilon Geminids | mid-October | 10-15 | ||
| ORI | Orionids | mid-October | 10-16 | c00001_0 | 1P/Halley |
| STA | Southern Taurids | mid-October | 10-17 | c00002_0 | 2P/Encke |
| LMI | Leonis Minorids | late October | 10-25 | dH39K010 | C/1739 K1 |
| LEO | Leonids | mid-November | 11-15 | c00055_0 | 55P/Tempel-Tuttle |
| NTA | Northern Taurids | mid-November | 11-16 | bK04T10G | (2004 TG10) |
| AMO | alpha Monocerotids | late November | 11-25 | ||
| NOO | November Orionids | late November | 11-26 | ||
| HYD | sigma Hydrids | early December | 12-05 | ||
| MON | December Monocerotids | early December | 12-06 | dK17F010 | C/1917 F1 (Mellish) |
| PHO | Phoenicids | early December | 12-07 | ||
| GEM | Geminids | mid-December | 12-15 | a0003200 | 3200 Phaethon |
| COM | Comae Berenicids | late December | 12-25 | ||
| URS | Ursids | late December | 12-26 | c00008_0 | 8P/Tuttle |
This list of meteor streams is based on data from the IAU Meteor Data Center and the references therein. Peak activity times were verified using the database from the American Meteor Society.
