A rare meteor shower predicted to hit Earth on September 1 would provide astronomers the opportunity to study an ancient comet?s crust. Astronomers say it could also help them develop a warning system against an otherwise insidious threat a comet aimed at Earth from the dark fringes of the solar system.

September?s shower, called the alpha Aurigids, has only been seen three times before, in 1935, 1986 and 1994. The reason for this elusiveness is the shower?s unusual origin. The Aurigids comes from a comet that takes 2000 years to orbit the Sun. With such infrequent visits, Comet Kiess can?t build up a broad dust band, and only generates a narrow trail of debris each time. It is only a very narrow trail, and it is only once in a while that it crosses Earth?s path, said Peter Jenniskens of NASA?s Ames Research Centre . Along with his colleague Jérémie Vaubaillon at Caltech, US, Jenniskens has calculated that the hose should be pointed at us again this year, on September 1.