The Lyrid Meteor Shower
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8236501/Lyrid-meteor-shower-peak-Tuesday-15-shooting-stars-hour.html?ito=rss-flipboard
The annual Lyrid meteor shower on Tuesday as the show will coincide with a new moon. is the oldest recorded meteor-shower - with the first sighting from ancient China in 687 BC.
The Lyrids are rock and dust left behind by the comet C/1861 G (Thatcher) as the Earth drifts through a cloud of debris left behind by the icy space rock.
Every year, the Earth intersects with Thatcher's dusty tail and particles of the comet are seen streaking through the sky where the usually burn up.
Specks of meteor travel at about 110,000 mph.
These meteoroids are sand- and pebble-sized bits of rock that were once released from their parent comet.
‘Some comets are no longer active and are now called asteroids'.
To see the shooting stars you will need to be in an area of low light pollution with a clear sky with minimal cloud cover.
According to astronomers, optimal viewing is in the few hours before dawn no matter where you are in the Northern Hemisphere.
While telescopes would enhance the fidelity for viewers, the meteors can usually be seen with the naked eye.
To locate where the meteors will be passing through, viewers can use the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra to find what astronomers call the 'radiant.'
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8236501/Lyrid-meteor-shower-peak-Tuesday-15-shooting-stars-hour.html?ito=rss-flipboard
The annual Lyrid meteor shower on Tuesday as the show will coincide with a new moon. is the oldest recorded meteor-shower - with the first sighting from ancient China in 687 BC.
The Lyrids are rock and dust left behind by the comet C/1861 G (Thatcher) as the Earth drifts through a cloud of debris left behind by the icy space rock.
Every year, the Earth intersects with Thatcher's dusty tail and particles of the comet are seen streaking through the sky where the usually burn up.
Specks of meteor travel at about 110,000 mph.
These meteoroids are sand- and pebble-sized bits of rock that were once released from their parent comet.
‘Some comets are no longer active and are now called asteroids'.
To see the shooting stars you will need to be in an area of low light pollution with a clear sky with minimal cloud cover.
According to astronomers, optimal viewing is in the few hours before dawn no matter where you are in the Northern Hemisphere.
While telescopes would enhance the fidelity for viewers, the meteors can usually be seen with the naked eye.
To locate where the meteors will be passing through, viewers can use the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra to find what astronomers call the 'radiant.'
