Meteor showers list 2020: Schedule and the best days to observe the phenomena

A meteor shower is a celestial event that can be quite astounding to watch. These meteors are the result of streams of cosmic debris known as meteoroids that get into the Earth's atmosphere at a very high speed on parallel trajectories. It also allows people to get a view of the vastness of space.

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Meteor showers list 2020 in the US

Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower (July 12 – August 23)

Late July sees the nominal peak of the Delta Aquariid meteor shower which favours the Southern Hemisphere and tropical latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The highest hourly rate can go up to 15 to 20 meteors when there is a dark sky. The nominal peak generally takes place between July 27 to July 30; however, unlike most of the other meteor showers, this one doesn't have a very definite peak. Instead, they can be seen rambling along at a steady pace throughout late July and even early August.

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Perseids Meteor Shower (July 17 – August 24)

Perseids are known as one of the brightest meteor showers of the year that are related to the comet Swift–Tuttle. These meteors that take place between July 17 to August 24 every year and favour the Northern Hemisphere. However, they generally reach a peak anywhere between August 11 to August 12.

Draconids Meteor Shower (October 6 – October 10)

The Draconid meteor shower is also referred to as the Giacobinids. This is one of the meteor showers that show up in the skies in October every year. The Draconids occur between October 6 to October 10 and favour the Northern Hemisphere. They usually peak around October 7 or October 8.

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Orionids Meteor Shower (October 2 – November 7)

Orionids are also active in October and last much longer than the Draconids. They occur between October 2 to November 7 and favour both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. They generally reach a peaking around October 20 or October 21. 

Leonids Meteor Shower (November 6 – November 30)

The Leonids meteor showers appear to radiate from that point in the sky and are annually active during November. They are active between November 6 to November 30 and favour both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. Leonids usually reach a peak around November 17 or 18.

Geminids Meteor Shower (December 4 – December 17)

The Geminids are regarded as one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year. There is a high possibility that one can sight as many as 120 meteors per hour when they reach their peak. They are active between December 4 to December 17 and reach a peak on December 13 or December 14.

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Image credits: NASA