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Look up: it's the meteor shower Lyrid!
Various sky watch organizations pinned the peak of the various meteor shower rain during the 21st and 22nd of April and the 22nd and 23rd of April. No matter what night you watch, here are some tips for watching the dust and debris burned by comet Thatcher on his journey around the solar system. Skywatchers can expect to see about 18 meteors per hour, although the bright moon can make them difficult to spot, said Cook, a NASA meteorite expert, Bill Spacee.
Meteor showers, like the Lyrids, occur when the Earth crosses the dusty trail left by a comet. Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, but they seem to come out of a point northeast of the bright star Vega (called the radiant of the meteor shower). It is easier to see this meteorite shower in the northern hemisphere, as this part of the sky is high above the horizon before dawn, although you can see a lower rate since the southern hemisphere.
Related: Lyrid Meteor Shower 2019: When, where and how to see it
Lyrid's annual meteorite rainfall, derived from particles dropped by comet C / 1861 G1 (Thatcher), extends from April 16 to 28 and culminates on Monday, April 22. near the bright star Vega, who will be high in the eastern sky before dawn. Lyrids can produce up to 18 meteors per hour, with occasional fireballs. Unfortunately, a bright, gibbous moon will take away all the brightest meteors this year.
The inhabitants of the north-east will see the radiation rise around 21 or 22 hours. in their local time zone, and it will continue to rise in the sky all night – but the moon will rise as soon after, so you can try to spot meteors inside this window. (The moon rises earlier on the night of April 21 than the night of April 22.) Otherwise, if you get closer to 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, the radiant will be the best place for you to see even meteors. They will be washed away by the moon.
It does not matter when you look, the key to watch a meteor shower Go to a place as dark as possible and allow time for your eyes to adjust – do not just look outside; allow 20-30 minutes to adjust. Make sure to dress warmly if you are in a cold place and sit in a comfortable place where you can sit and watch the entire sky. As meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, the naked eye is the best tool you can use. telescopes and binoculars will reduce your vision.
Do not look directly at the radiant; Meteors coming from further away are more likely to have long, striking tails. The Lyrids have hit the Earth's atmosphere by traveling as fast as 49 km (30 miles per second), and can shine about as brightly as the stars of the Big Dipper, said Cooke.
Cooke told Space.com that Lyrids sometimes produce explosions of up to 100 meteors per hour, but that these explosions are unpredictable. Yet some observers might try their luck despite the brilliant moon.
The source of Lyrids, Comet Thatcheraround the sun about once every 415 years. Fortunately for observers, however, the Earth follows its path every year from mid-April to the end of April. The resulting display was observed at least as early as 687 BC. – This is one of the first recorded rains. Comet Thatcher recently passed the sun (and the vicinity of the Earth) in 1861 and will then pass in 2276.
Email Sarah Lewin at [email protected] or follow her. @SarahExplains. follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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