What comet is responsible for the Perseid meteor shower, through which Earth passes every July/August?
Comet identified , using the absorption spectrum caused by the large clouds of gas emitted by comets when passing close to their star. As a result of outgassing, comets leave in their wake a trail of solid debris too large to be swept away by radiation pressure and the solar wind. If the Earth's orbit sends it through that debris, there are likely to be meteor showers as Earth passes through. The Perseid meteor shower, for example, occurs every year between 9 and 13 August, when Earth passes through the orbit of Comet Swift–Tuttle. Halley's Comet is the source of the
Meteor shower balanced in that the slower descent means that Martian meteors have more time in which to ablate. On March 7, 2004, the panoramic camera on Mars Exploration Rover "Spirit" recorded a streak which is now believed to have been caused by a meteor from a Martian meteor shower associated with comet 114P/Wiseman-Skiff. A strong display from this shower was expected on December 20, 2007. Other showers speculated about are a "Lambda Geminid" shower associated with the Eta Aquariids of Earth ("i.e.", both associated with Comet 1P/Halley), a "Beta Canis Major" shower associated with Comet 13P/Olbers, and "Draconids" from 5335 Damocles.