A large meteor shower will often occur once a year because:
A) Earth typically has one large volcanic eruption every year
B) the Earth's orbit passes through the Apollo asteroid belt
C) the Sun goes through a yearly solar cycle
D) Jupiter routinely disturbs the orbits of asteroids in the Jovian belt
E) the Earth passes through the debris left behind by a specific comet

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through the debris left behind by a comet or asteroid. Each meteor shower is associated with a particular comet or asteroid, and the debris is distributed along the comet's or asteroid's orbit. As Earth orbits the Sun, it passes through these debris trails at predictable times each year. Therefore, a large meteor shower will often occur once a year because the Earth passes through the debris left behind by a specific comet or asteroid.

A Large Meteor Shower Will Often Occur Once a Year