meteoraatide

Meteoraatide refers to the phenomenon of meteoric showers. These celestial events occur when Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by comets or asteroids. As these small particles, often no larger than grains of sand, enter Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up due to friction, creating bright streaks of light that are commonly called "shooting stars."

The trails of debris are typically distributed along the orbital paths of the comets or asteroids. When Earth's orbit intersects these trails, a meteor shower becomes visible. The intensity and frequency of the meteors depend on the density of the debris stream. Some showers are minor, with only a few meteors visible per hour, while others can be spectacular, producing hundreds or even thousands of meteors.

Meteor showers are often named after the constellation from which they appear to radiate. For example, the Perseids appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, and the Leonids from Leo. These radiant points are a result of perspective; the meteors themselves are traveling parallel to each other. Many of the major meteor showers are predictable and occur annually, making them popular events for amateur astronomers and skywatchers. The debris particles are remnants from the formation of the solar system, offering scientists insights into its early history.