The night sky is set to bring one of spring’s most anticipated celestial events as the Lyrid meteor shower returns this week.
The Lyrids meteor shower, one of the oldest recorded meteor showers, will peak on Wednesday (April 22), offering a rare treat for stargazers. It’s a chance to see a shooting star, and perhaps a bright fireball, in a dark, moonless sky.
The official period for the Lyrid meteor shower is from April 14 to April 30, but North America and Europe are expected to reach peak activity during the daytime hours of April 22, with about 10 to 20 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society. So you have two chances to catch Lyra. Before dawn and after dusk on April 22nd. The most favorable conditions are expected to be early in the morning, especially around 5 a.m. when the radiant in the constellation Lyra is high in the sky.
you may like
Astronomical timing is working in skywatchers’ favor this month. The new moon occurs on April 17th, so it will still be a crescent moon by the time Lyra peaks on April 22nd. This means that the moon will be out of the sky before sunrise that day. The sky will be dark on this day, but as the constellation Lyra rises in the east, the moon will set in the western sky, so it won’t be a hindrance.
Although the rate of “shooting stars” in the Lyrids cannot be compared to more intense meteor showers such as the Perseids in August or the Geminid in December, the Lyrids are known for fast, bright “fireball” meteors that leave a persistent trail and occasional bursts of activity. In 1803, 1922, and 1945, as many as 100 Lyrid meteors per hour were reported. 1982 according to NASA. However, predicting such an explosion is almost impossible.
The Lyra constellation is the result of dust and debris left in the inner solar system by comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), which orbits the sun every 415.5 years. When the Earth passes through a region of comet debris each year, the meteors burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere, giving the impression of “shooting stars” across the night sky. According to NASA, the last time Comet Thatcher was in the inner solar system was in 1861. It is scheduled to return around 2276.
To give yourself the best chance of seeing the Lyrid meteor shower, check the weather forecast and light pollution maps, and look for a location away from city lights. Meteors can appear unexpectedly anywhere in the sky, so let your eyes adjust to the darkness and be patient.
Meteor showers are best seen with the naked eye, but special equipment is required to photograph them.
Source link
