what causes the Perseid Meteor Showers!
Meteors streak down upon the earth all the time, and if we watch only an hour or so we can spot a few of them during any countless night of the year. At certain times these so called shooting stars swoop down in great numbers. Their displays are called meteor swarms or meteor showers. Once in a while a showy comet swoops in from the outer planets and makes a u turn close around the sun. Its golden head may be bright enough to rival the biggest stars, and its luminous trail may fan halfway across the sky. The comet soon leaves our skies and returns to its bleak realms far out in the solar system. But its glorious display is not forgotten, and sometimes it leaves us a reminder that lasts for many centuries. It may leave us with a yearly shower of meteors. A close swing around the sun may be very upsetting to a passing comet. Powerful forces of the mighty star often jog loose and scatter its fragile particles. Streams of fine fragments and dusty debris are left behind along the orbit of t
