Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
Division of Bohol
Grade 8 Science
2nd Quarter
L E A R N I N G A C T I V I T Y No.
Activity Title: Meteor Shower
Learning
Explain the regular occurrence of meteor showers (S8ES-IIi-j-24)
Competency:
Learning Target: Describe the occurrence of meteor showers.
Reference: Learner’s Manual pp. 160-162
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSE3Uz-IzZM
Suggested Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aouQxM8_nFk

During a meteor shower, meteors seem to originate from only one point in
the sky because the meteoroids are traveling in parallel paths with the same
velocity. The meteor shower is named after the constellation where they seem
to originate from, but this does not mean that the meteoroids come from the
associated constellation. Remember: a meteor and a meteor shower are light
phenomena; they are not stars.

The number of meteors that can be seen during a meteor shower varies.
It starts with the appearance of a few meteors per hour, increasing in
frequency until it reaches its peak of 1-2 meteors per minute, then declines.
Usually, the meteoroids that cause meteor showers come from comets, but
they may also come from an asteroid like in the case of the Geminids. Earth
passes through Asteroid 3200 Phaethon’s orbit where some fragments fropm
the asteroid are found. Once these fragments enter Earth’s atmosphere, they
burn up. Meteoroids from comets appear fuzzy because of the ice particles
while those from asteroids are clearer and distinct because they do not have
these ice particles.

Exercise:
1. What is a meteor shower?
2. Why does a meteor shower occur?