Science Bell Ringer for Grades 6–8: Why the Orionid meteor shower returns every October
A free science bell ringer for grades 6–8. Put the prompt on the board as students walk in, give them three to five minutes, then go over it together. The answer and teacher notes are in the box below the prompt.
The prompt
Every October, Earth passes through dust left behind by Halley's Comet, and we see the Orionid meteor shower. Why does the same meteor shower show up around the same dates every year?
Answer and teacher notes
The comet's dust is spread along its orbit. Earth's orbit crosses that dusty path at the same point each year, so we run into it around the same time every October. The Orionids are active from early October to early November, peaking around October 21–22.
Source: NASA: Orionids Meteor Shower
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