meteor shower

American  

Also meteoric shower

noun

Astronomy.

1. the profusion of meteors observed when the earth passes through a meteor swarm.

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meteor shower British  

noun

1. a transient rain of meteors, such as the Perseids, occurring at regular intervals and coming from a particular region in the sky. It is caused by the earth passing through a large number of meteoroids (a meteor swarm )

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meteor shower Scientific  

1. A brief period of heightened meteor activity, often occurring regularly in a particular part of the sky at a particular time of year. Meteor showers are generally named after the constellation in which they appear to originate; thus the Perseids appear to originate in the constellation Perseus and the Leonids in the constellation Leo. The showers occur when the Earth passes through a region having a greater than usual concentration of interplanetary debris, such as particles left by a disintegrating comet, at certain points in its orbit. Although the meteors enter the Earth's atmosphere on parallel trajectories, perspective makes it appear as if they originate from the same point in the sky, known as the radiant.

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Etymology

Origin of meteor shower

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

meteor shower

Scientists still have not identified the parent asteroid responsible for this newly discovered meteor shower.

From Science Daily ● May 14, 2026

One of the best known active asteroids is 3200 Phaethon, the source of the Geminid meteor shower that peaks every December.

From Science Daily ● May 14, 2026

While the North East and Cumbria appeared not to be at the epicentre of the meteor shower, some persistent photographers managed to catch it nonetheless.

From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2026

The Lyrid meteor shower was first recorded almost 3,000 years ago by Chinese astronomers.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026

June 30,1908 was the day of the Beta Taurid meteor shower, connected with the orbit of Comet Encke.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan