Top 10 Most Peculiar Meteorite Showers

This meteor shower occurs every year in November, peaking around November 17th and 18th, with an average of 1,000 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The shower's high frequency makes it a popular target for astronomers studying cometary material. According to NASA, about 90% of Leonid meteoroids burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, leaving only a few that reach the ground as fragments. The Leonids have also been linked to periodic outbursts on the comets Tempel-Tuttle and 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

This shower occurs every year in August and September, peaking around August 12th-13th with an average of 50 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Perseids is the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which returns to the inner solar system every 133 years. According to NASA, the Perseid meteoroids are created when fragments of the comet break off and enter Earth's atmosphere at high speeds. This shower has been observed since ancient times.

Occurring in December, this is one of the most active and spectacular showers of the year, with peaks on December 13th-14th that can produce up to 120 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Geminids is asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which is thought to be a fragment of an ancient comet. According to NASA, the Geminid meteoroids are produced by the friction generated as the asteroids collide with Earth's atmosphere.

This shower occurs every year in October and November, peaking around October 21st-22nd with an average of 20 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Orionids is Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which returns to the inner solar system every 33 years. According to NASA, the Orionid meteoroids are produced by the friction generated as fragments of Comet Tempel-Tuttle break off and enter Earth's atmosphere.

This shower occurs every year in January and usually peaks around January 4th-5th with an average of 40 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Quadrants is asteroid 2008 EH, which is thought to be a fragment of an ancient comet. According to NASA, the Quadrantid meteoroids are produced by the friction generated as the asteroids collide with Earth's atmosphere.

This shower occurs every year in May and June, peaking around May 5th-6th with an average of 60 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Etas is Comet 96P/Muchowski and Halley's Comet. According to NASA, the Eta Aquariid meteoroids are produced by the friction generated as fragments of these comets break off and enter Earth's atmosphere.

This rare shower occurs only once every few decades in March and usually peaks around March 17th-18th with an average of 10 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Pisas is asteroid 176P/Lemmon. According to NASA, this shower has been observed as early as 1570 AD.

This rare and short-lived shower occurs only in November every other year and usually peaks around November 22nd-23rd with an average of 10 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Alpha Monocerotids is a long-period comet that orbits the Sun once every 12,000 years. According to NASA, no large meteor showers are expected during these events.

This rare shower occurs only in September and usually peaks around September 13th-14th with an average of 10 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the Beta Hydrapids is a short-period comet that has been active since the early 2000s. According to NASA, this shower was first observed in 2013.

This rare and newly discovered shower occurs only once every few years around May-June and usually peaks on June 11th-12th with an average of 5 meteors per hour visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The primary target for the XQ Perys are fragments of a recently discovered long-period comet, designated as 2021 OG. According to NASA, this shower has been observed once so far in history since its discovery.