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2013 Meteor Shower List
The 2013 Meteor Shower List is presented in four separate parts. The showers are broken down by intensity with major, minor, variable, and weak showers being separated into their own groups. The general public and news agencies are encouraged to only use the list of major showers as they are the most well known and provide the most activity on a year to year basis. The other showers rarely surpass ten meteors per hour at maximum and are difficult to observe by the general public.
2013 Major Meteor Showers (Class I)
Shower | Activity Period | Maximum | Radiant | Velocity | r | Max. | Time | Moon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | S. L. | R.A. | Dec. | km/s | ZHR | |||||
Quadrantids (QUA) | Jan 01-Jan 10 | Jan 03 | 283.16° | 15:18 | +49.5° | 42.2 | 2.1 | 120 | 0500 | 20 |
Lyrids (LYR) | Apr 18-Apr 25 | Apr 22 | 032.32° | 18:08 | +32.9° | 48.4 | 2.1 | 18 | 0400 | 12 |
Eta Aquarids (ETA) | Apr 29-May 20 | May 07 | 046.8° | 22:36 | -00.6° | 67.5 | 2.4 | 60 | 0400 | 26 |
Delta Aquarids (SDA) | Jul 21-Aug 23 | Jul 30 | 126.9° | 22:42 | -16.4° | 42.0 | 3.2 | 20 | 0300 | 22 |
Perseids (PER) | Jul 13-Aug 26 | Aug 12 | 140.0° | 03:12 | +57.6° | 60.5 | 2.6 | 100 | 0400 | 06 |
Orionids (ORI) | Aug 25-Nov 19 | Oct 22 | 208.9° | 06:24 | +15.5° | 67.1 | 2.5 | 20 | 0500 | 18 |
Leonids (LEO) | Nov 06-Nov 30 | Nov 18 | 236.1° | 10:16 | +21.6° | 70.6 | 2.5 | 15 | 0500 | 15 |
Geminids (GEM) | Dec 04-Dec 16 | Dec 13 | 261°5 | 07:33 | +32.2° | 35.0 | 2.6 | 120 | 0100 | 11 |
Ursids (URS) | Dec 17-Dec 24 | Dec 22 | 270°7 | 14:30 | +74.8° | 32.6 | 3.0 | 10 | 0500 | 18 |
Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization.
The meteor showers listed above are the easiest to observe and provide the most activity. Particular attention should be noted to the time and moonlight conditions. All these showers are best seen after midnight. Some are not even visible until after midnight. Showers that peak with the moon's age between 10 and 20 days will be affected by moonlight and difficult to observe this year. While the time each shower is best seen remains much the same year after year, the moonlight conditions change considerably from one year to the next. We will post upcoming details of each major shower that is free from moonlight well in advance of their peak activity.
2013 Minor Meteor Showers (Class II)
Shower | Activity Period | Maximum | Radiant | Velocity | r | Max. | Time | Moon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | S. L. | R.A. | Dec. | km/s | ZHR | |||||
Antihelion Source (ANT) | Dec 05-Sep 06 | - | - | - | - | 30.0 | 3.0 | 4 | 0100 | - |
Alpha Centaurids (ACE) | Jan 28-Feb 21 | Feb 08 | 319°2 | 14:00 | -59.0° | 56.0 | 2.0 | 6 | 0500 | 26 |
Eta Lyrids (ELY) | May 07-May 14 | May 10 | 050° | 19:24 | +43.2° | 43.4 | 3.0 | 3 | 0400 | 18 |
Alpha Capricornids (CAP) | Jul 16-Aug 10 | Jul 30 | 127° | 20:20 | -10.2° | 24.9 | 2.5 | 5 | 0100 | 22 |
Kappa Cygnids (KCG) | Aug 06-Aug 31 | Aug 18 | 145° | 18:30 | +58.0° | 22.7 | 3.0 | 3 | 2300 | 12 |
Aurigids (AUR) | Aug 29-Sep 04 | Sep 01 | 158°6 | 06:02 | +39.3° | 66.7 | 2.6 | 6 | 0400 | 25 |
September Epsilon Perseids (SPE) | Sep 01-Sep 28 | Sep 09 | 167° | 03:12 | +40.5° | 65.9 | 2.9 | 5 | 0500 | 04 |
Southern Taurids (STA) | Sep 07-Nov 19 | Oct 10 | 197° | 02:06 | +08.7° | 28.9 | 2.3 | 5 | 0200 | 06 |
Epsilon Geminids (EGE) | Sep 29-Nov 03 | Oct 22 | 209° | 06:58 | +27.0° | 70.4 | 3.0 | 3 | 0500 | 18 |
Leonis Minorids (LMI) | Oct 19-Oct 28 | Oct 22 | 209° | 10:43 | +37.0° | 62.1 | 2.7 | 2 | 0500 | 18 |
Northern Taurids (NTA) | Oct 26-Dec 05 | Nov 11 | 229° | 03:54 | +22.5° | 29.4 | 2.3 | 5 | 0000 | 08 |
November Orionids (NOO) | Nov 13-Dec 21 | Nov 29 | 247° | 06:05 | +15.2° | 44.1 | 2.3 | 3 | 0400 | 26 |
Sigma Hydrids (HYD) | Nov 26-Dec 21 | Dec 06 | 254° | 08:12 | +02.8° | 61.6 | 3.0 | 3 | 0300 | 04 |
Puppid/Velids (PUP) | Dec 01-Dec 15 | Dec 07 | 255° | 08:12 | -45.0° | 40.0 | 2.9 | 10 | 0400 | 05 |
Monocerotids (MON) | Nov 27-Dec 17 | Dec 09 | 257° | 06:40 | +08.1° | 40.9 | 3.0 | 2 | 0100 | 07 |
Coma Berenicids (COM) | Dec 03-Jan 19 | Dec 17 | 265° | 10:37 | +30.2° | 64.3 | 3.0 | 5 | 0500 | 15 |
Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization.
The meteor showers listed above range from two to ten shower members per hour at maximum activity. These meteors can be detected by experienced observers but novice observers and the general public will have difficultly distinguishing these meteors from the major showers or sporadic (random) meteors.
2013 Variable Meteor Showers (Class III)
Shower | Activity Period | Maximum | Radiant | Velocity | r | Max. | Time | Moon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | S. L. | R.A. | Dec. | km/s | ZHR | |||||
Pi Puppids (PPU) | Apr 15-Apr 28 | Apr 23 | 033.5° | 07:20 | -45.0° | 18 | 2.0 | var | 1900 | 13 |
June Bootids (JBO) | Jun 22- Jul 02 | Jun 27 | 095.7° | 14:56 | +48° | 18 | 2.2 | var | 2100 | 18 |
Draconids (GIA) | Oct 06-Oct 10 | Oct 09 | 196.0° | 17:28 | +56° | 19 | 2.6 | var | 1800 | 05 |
Alpha Monocerotids (AMO) | Nov 15-Nov 25 | Nov 21 | 239°32 | 07:48 | +01° | 65 | 2.4 | var | 0300 | 18 |
Dec Phoenicids (PHO) | Nov 28-Dec 09 | Dec 06 | 254°25 | 01:12 | -53° | 18 | 2.8 | var | 2000 | 04 |
Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization.
The meteor showers listed above produce strong activity on rare occasions. Most of the time only a few scattered remnants of these showers are observed with rates of one shower member per night. Note that most of these showers are best seen during the evening hours, a situation quite opposite most meteor showers.
2013 Weak Meteor Showers (Class IV)
Shower | Activity Period | Maximum | Radiant | Velocity | Max. | Time | Moon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | S. L. | R.A. | Dec. | km/s | ZHR | ||||
January Leonids (JLE) | Jan 01-Jan 05 | Jan 01 | 281.0° | 09:46 | +24.4° | 53.9 | <2 | 0300 | 18 |
Canum Venaticids (CVN) | Jan 11-Jan 17 | Jan 11 | 291.0° | 14:03 | +28.0° | 58.8 | <2 | 0500 | 00 |
Theta Corona Borealids (TCB) | Jan 14-Jan 16 | Jan 16 | 296.0° | 15:40 | +50.5° | 38.6 | <2 | 0500 | 05 |
IMO #14 | Jan 18-Jan 22 | Jan 18 | 298.0° | 13:14 | -20.0° | 69.9 | <2 | 0500 | 07 |
January Xi Ursae Majorids (XUM) | Jan 18-Jan 21 | Jan 19 | 299.0° | 11:17 | +32.0° | 45.7 | <2 | 0300 | 08 |
Nu Bootids A (NBO) | Jan 17-Jan 20 | Jan 19 | 299.0° | 13:24 | +14.0° | 68.7 | <2 | 0500 | 08 |
Nu Bootids B (NBO) | Jan 19-Jan 25 | Jan 19 | 299.0° | 14:22 | +10.5° | 68.3 | <2 | 0500 | 08 |
Gamma Ursae Minorids (GUM) | Jan 18-Jan 23 | Jan 20 | 300.0° | 15:08 | +68.0° | 31.1 | <2 | 0500 | 09 |
Lambda Bootids (LBO) | Jan 17-Jan 23 | Jan 21 | 301.0° | 15:07 | +42.0° | 46.3 | <2 | 0500 | 10 |
Jan. Comae Berenicids (JCO) | Jan 20-Jan 27 | Jan 23 | 303.0° | 12:46 | +15.0° | 65.0 | <2 | 0500 | 12 |
Alpha Coronae Borealids (ACB) | Jan 27-Jan 31 | Jan 28 | 308.0° | 15:30 | +26.5° | 58.0 | <2 | 0500 | 16 |
IMO #22 | Jan 29-Feb 09 | Feb 08 | 319.0° | 13:42 | +09.0° | 65.0 | <2 | 0500 | 26 |
Beta Herculids (BHE) | Feb 13-Feb 19 | Feb 13 | 324.0° | 16:28 | +24.0° | 56.3 | <2 | 0500 | 03 |
Delta Serpentids (DSE) | Feb 16-Feb 16 | Feb 16 | 327.0° | 16:37 | +08.5° | 57.0 | <2 | 0500 | 06 |
IMO #35 | Feb 28-Mar 05 | Mar 04 | 344.0° | 16:39 | +48.5° | 39.9 | <2 | 0500 | 21 |
IMO #37 | Mar 05-Mar 10 | Mar 05 | 345.0° | 23:00 | +41.5° | 41.7 | <2 | 1900 | 22 |
Xi Herculids (XHE) | Mar 11-Mar 16 | Mar 12 | 352.0° | 17:11 | +48.0° | 36.6 | <2 | 0500 | 01 |
Gamma Normids (GNO) | Feb 25-Mar 22 | Mar 13 | 353.0° | 16:36 | -51.0° | 56.0 | <2 | 0500 | 19 |
Northern March Virginids (NVI) | Mar 14-Mar 22 | Mar 14 | 354.0° | 11:36 | 08.5° | 22.4 | <2 | 0100 | 03 |
Zeta Serpentids (ZSE) | Mar 20-Mar 23 | Mar 21 | 001.0° | 17:34 | 01.5° | 69.1 | <2 | 0500 | 10 |
IMO #46 | Mar 22-Mar 22 | Mar 22 | 002.0° | 12:06 | 00.0° | 25.1 | <2 | 0100 | 11 |
Zeta Cygnids (ZCY) | Mar 22-Apr 10 | Apr 06 | 016.0° | 19:53 | +40.0° | 42.9 | <2 | 0400 | 24 |
Delta Aquiliids (DAL) | Apr 05-Apr 13 | Apr 11 | 021.0° | 20:37 | +11.0° | 66.0 | <2 | 0400 | 01 |
Sigma Leonids A (SLE) | Apr 08-Apr 16 | Apr 11 | 021.0° | 13:12 | +04.5° | 22.4 | <2 | 0100 | 01 |
IMO #59 | Apr 13-Apr 19 | Apr 16 | 026.0° | 19:27 | +37.0° | 44.5 | <2 | 0400 | 06 |
Nu Cygnids (NCY) | Apr 02-May 04 | Apr 18 | 028.5° | 20:42 | +43.2° | 43.8 | <2 | 0400 | 08 |
Sigma Leonids B (SLE) | Apr 18-Apr 26 | Apr 20 | 030.0° | 13:34 | +03.5° | 20.4 | <2 | 0100 | 10 |
IMO #66 | Apr 25-Apr 27 | Apr 27 | 037.0° | 21:11 | -04.0° | 64.6 | <2 | 0100 | 17 |
Alpha Bootids (ABO) | Apr 27-Apr 27 | Apr 27 | 037.0° | 13:50 | +18.2° | 71.0 | <2 | 0100 | 17 |
IMO #79 | May 25-May 29 | May 26 | 065.0° | 23:29 | +06.5° | 68.5 | <2 | 0400 | 14 |
Daytime Arietids (ARI) | Jun 05-Jun 09 | Jun 07 | 077.0° | 02:10 | +23.5° | 43.0 | <2 | 0400 | 28 |
Sigma Capricornids (SCA) | Jun 19-Jul 24 | Jun 27 | 096.0° | 20:25 | -07.0° | 41.7 | <2 | 0400 | 18 |
IMO #95 | Jun 27-Jul 07 | Jun 29 | 098.0° | 16:50 | +55.5° | 22.6 | <2 | 0000 | 21 |
Pi Piscids (PPS) | Jun 10-Jul 25 | Jul 01 | 100.0° | 00:55 | +25.0° | 68.6 | <2 | 0400 | 22 |
IMO #94 | Jun 29-Jul 04 | Jul 03 | 102.0° | 23:42 | +29.0° | 68.1 | <2 | 0400 | 25 |
July Pegasids (JPE) | Jul 05-Jul 25 | Jul 10 | 108.0° | 23:12 | +11.0° | 68.1 | <2 | 0400 | 02 |
c-Andromedids (CAN) | Jun 26-Jul 20 | Jul 12 | 110.0° | 02:10 | +47.5° | 60.1 | <2 | 0400 | 04 |
Alpha Triangulids (ATR) | Jul 25-Aug 20 | Jul 27 | 124.0° | 02:07 | +41.0° | 67.9 | <2 | 0400 | 19 |
July Gamma Draconids (GDR) | Jul 25-Jul 29 | Jul 28 | 125.0° | 18:42 | +50.5° | 26.5 | <2 | 0000 | 20 |
Eta Eridanids (ERI) | Jul 31-Aug 17 | Aug 04 | 132.0° | 02:53 | -13.0° | 66.2 | <2 | 0400 | 27 |
IMO #125 | Aug 07-Aug 09 | Aug 08 | 135.0° | 00:15 | +49.0° | 55.5 | <2 | 0400 | 02 |
Theta Piscids (TPI) | Aug 08-Sep 01 | Aug 20 | 147.0° | 23:28 | 04.1° | 40.6 | <2 | 0400 | 14 |
IMO #139 | Aug 23-Aug 27 | Aug 24 | 151.0° | 04:01 | +41.0° | 68.9 | <2 | 0400 | 18 |
IMO #136 | Aug 18-Aug 25 | Aug 25 | 152.0° | 02:20 | +38.0° | 45.5 | <2 | 0400 | 19 |
IMO #141 | Aug 26-Sep 03 | Aug 29 | 155.0° | 00:08 | +76.0° | 58.5 | <2 | 0300 | 23 |
IMO #149 | Aug 29-Sep 09 | Sep 03 | 160.0° | 04:47 | +47.5° | 69.7 | <2 | 0400 | 28 |
September Lyncids (SLY) | Sep 07-Sep 18 | Sep 09 | 167.0° | 06:22 | +55.7° | 59.7 | <2 | 0500 | 04 |
Nu Eridanids (NUE) | Sep 18-Sep 24 | Sep 18 | 175.0° | 04:56 | 03.5° | 68.8 | <2 | 0500 | 13 |
Beta Aurigids (BAU) | Sep 21-Sep 25 | Sep 23 | 180.0° | 05:50 | +49.0° | 70.2 | <2 | 0500 | 17 |
IMO #166 | Sep 19-Sep 29 | Sep 24 | 181.0° | 17:52 | +84.0° | 37.8 | <2 | 2000 | 18 |
Delta Aurigids (DAU) | Sep 25-Sep 30 | Sep 25 | 182.0° | 02:27 | +57.5° | 63.0 | <2 | 0500 | 19 |
Sep-Oct Lyncids (SOL) | Sep 28-Sep 30 | Sep 30 | 187.0° | 07:26 | +47.0° | 67.0 | <2 | 0500 | 24 |
October Camelopardalids (OCT) | Oct 05-Oct 06 | Oct 05 | 192.6° | 11:12 | +78.5° | 44.0 | <2 | 0500 | 01 |
October Ursa Majorids (OCU) | Oct 15-Oct 19 | Oct 15 | 202.0° | 09:36 | +64.5° | 53.7 | <2 | 0500 | 11 |
Psi Aurigids (ZTA) | Oct 08-Oct 18 | Oct 15 | 202.0° | 07:19 | +42.0° | 67.9 | <2 | 0500 | 11 |
Tau Cancrids (TCA) | Oct 09-Oct 25 | Oct 17 | 206.0° | 08:57 | +29.4° | 68.7 | <2 | 0500 | 13 |
Lambda Ursa Majorids (LUM) | Oct 24-Nov 01 | Oct 27 | 214.0° | 10:24 | +48.9° | 61.5 | <2 | 0500 | 23 |
Zeta Cancrids (ZCN) | Nov 04-Nov 09 | Nov 07 | 225.0° | 07:22 | 13.5° | 70.7 | <2 | 0500 | 04 |
Andromedids (AND) | Oct 26-Nov 20 | Nov 08 | 230.0° | 01:31 | +29.4° | 19.4 | <2 | 2200 | 05 |
Nov. Iota Draconids (NID) | Nov 22-Dec 01 | Nov 26 | 232.0° | 12:42 | 55.5° | 44.4 | <2 | 0500 | 23 |
Dec. Phi Cassiopeiids (DPC) | Nov 26-Dec 05 | Dec 01 | 249.0° | 12:22 | 52.6° | 17.8 | <2 | 0500 | 28 |
December Kappa Draconids (KDR) | Dec 02-Dec 06 | Dec 03 | 251.0° | 12:22 | +70.5° | 43.0 | <2 | 0500 | 01 |
Psi Ursa Majorids (PSU) | Dec 01-Dec 08 | Dec 04 | 252.0° | 11:10 | +43.0° | 62.2 | <2 | 0500 | 02 |
Alpha Draconids (DAD) | Dec 03-Dec 14 | Dec 04 | 252.0° | 13:34 | +58.0° | 43.6 | <2 | 0500 | 02 |
IMO #239 | Dec 16-Dec 24 | Dec 18 | 266.0° | 08:15 | -10.5° | 69.8 | <2 | 0400 | 16 |
Dec. Sigma Virginids (DSV) | Dec 17-Dec 28 | Dec 26 | 274.0° | 13:59 | 03.5° | 68.9 | <2 | 0500 | 22 |
Alpha Hydrids (AHY) | Dec 30-Jan 08 | Jan 01 | 280.0° | 08:24 | -07.9° | 45.0 | <2 | 0100 | 07 |
Information and Table Template Courtesy the International Meteor Organization.
The meteor showers listed above rarely produce an average of more than two shower members per hour. In some cases these showers have been recently discovered by video means, being too weak for visual observers to pick out from the sporadic background. This list is being provided for the experienced observer in order to follow the activity of these weak showers. Good luck with your observations in 2013!
Explanation of the 2012 Meteor Shower Calendar
Shower: named for the constellation or closest star within a constellation where the radiant is located at maximum activity.
Activity Period: the dates when the shower is active and the observer can expect activity from this source.
Maximum: the date on which the maximum activity is expected to occur.
S.L.: the equivalent solar longitude of the date of maximum activity. Solar longitude is measured in degrees (0-359) with 0 occurring at the exact moment of the spring equinox, 90 at the summer solstice, 180 at the autumnal equinox, and 270 at the winter solstice. Scientists use this time measurement as it is independent of the calendar.
Radiant: the area in the sky where shower meteors seem to appear from. This position is given in right ascension (celestial longitude) and declination (celestial latitude). The radiant must be near or above the horizon in order to witness activity from a particular shower.
Velocity: the velocity at which shower meteors strike the Earth's atmosphere. The velocity depends on the angle meteoroids (meteors in space) intersect the Earth. Meteoroids orbiting in the opposite direction of the Earth and striking the atmosphere head-on are much faster than those orbiting in the same direction as the Earth. This velocity is measured in kilometers per second.
r: The Population Index, An estimate of the ratio of the number of meteors in subsequent magnitude classes. Simply stated: the lower the "r" value, the resulting overall mean magnitude of each shower will be brighter. "r" usually ranges from 2.0 (bright) to 3.5 (faint).
ZHR: Zenith Hourly Rate, the average maximum number of shower meteors visible per hour if the radiant is located exactly overhead and the limiting magnitude equals +6.5 (a very dark sky). Actual counts rarely reach this figure as the zenith angle of the radiant is usually less and the limiting magnitude is usually lower than +6.5. ZHR is a useful tool when comparing the actual observed rates between individual observers as it sets observing conditions for all to the same standards.
Time: this is the time of night when meteors from each shower are best seen. Quite often the radiant will culminate after sunrise therefore the last dark hour before dawn will be listed. Daylight Saving Time (Summer Time) is used from March through October. These figures are also highly dependent on the latitude of the observer. The time listed is most precise for mid-northern latitudes.
Moon: the age of the moon in days where 0 is new, 7 is first quarter, 14 is full, and 21 is last quarter. Meteor activity is best seen in the absence of moonlight so showers reaching maximum activity when the moon is less than 10 days old or more than 25 are much more favorably observed than those situated closer to the full moon.
Class: A scale developed by Robert Lunsford to group meteor showers by their intensity:
Class I: the strongest annual showers with ZHR's normally ten or better.
Class II: reliable minor showers with ZHR's normally two to ten.
Class III: showers that do not provide annual activity. These showers are rarely active yet have the potential to produce a major display on occasion.
Class IV: weak minor showers with ZHR's rarely exceeding two. The study of these showers is best left to experienced observers who use plotting and angular velocity estimates to determine shower association. Observers with less experience are urged to limit their shower associations to showers with a rating of I to III. These showers are also good targets for video and photographic work.
7 comments
doug savory ·
either we,ve made a leap in detection this year or we are driving thru an unexpected shot gun blast of sorts,is it just me?or are we seeing far ,far more meteors ,some massive,that iv ever even heard of in such a short time.Why is there silence on this topic about frecency and are we trying to figure out where they are coming from?
Vincent Perlerin ·
Doug, you can read our article about the fireball frequency here: http://www.amsmeteors.org/2013/03/ams-fireball-stats-analysis/
David ·
So if the max date is Aug 12th are we talking that morning (12:01 AM on) or that night (10-11PM on)?
RL ·
Why don't the dates of meteor showers change because of leap years?
Vincent Perlerin ·
The dates of maximum activity do change when a leap year occurs. Every year a shower will reach maximum activity approximately 6 hours later than the previous year. This progression will usually push the date of maximum activity to the next night during the last two years prior to leap year. When leap year occurs the date will regress back 1 night or 24 hours starting the progression all over again. A good example are the Perseids which reach maximum activity on August 12 during 2012 and 2013. During 2014 and 2015 the Perseids will reach maximum on August 13. When leap year occurs again in 2016, the maximum night will revert back to August 12.
I hope this helps!
Robert Lunsford
John Harris ·
I have a merorite my son found, and had it certified by the U of A. Is it worth anything? If anything of value, who would I contact to see if they would be interested in it.
Ezra Biondi ·
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