Our universe may be full of cosmic miracle, but you can only observe a fraction of astronomical phenomena with your naked eye. Meteor shower, of course fireworks that brightly strokes over the night sky, are one of them.
The last perceptible meteorend shower will be the lyrids, which has been active since 15 April and is predicted until April 30. The shower reaches its peak from April 21 to 22, or Monday evening to Tuesday morning.
The best seen from the northern hemisphere, the lyrides are caused by the dusty debris of a comet called Thatcher and Spring from the constellation Lyra.
During this year’s peak activity, viewers are more difficult to see meteors from this shower, because the Moon will be 40 percent full.
States that border on the western bank of the Mississippi River can have a good chance of seeing a few fire balls. But thick cloud cover is expected over all states to the east of the river. Tuesday evening, when the shower is still active, but beyond its peak, it looks a little better for the eastern half of the US
Apart from high clouds in the Texas Panhandle and low clouds that hug the Gulf Coast, the Lone Star State is perhaps one of the best places to see tonight. Wool Combat will create the viewing of obstacles above the northern plains, the desert southwest and also up through the central and northern rocky mountains. There is more hope in the West, mainly in North California, Nevada and Utah.
To get a hint when you have to look, you can meter This depends on data from the Global Meteor network that shows when real-time fire ball activity levels will increase in the coming days.
Where meteoordouches come from
There is a chance that you will see a meteor on a certain night, but you will probably catch one during a shower. Meteor shower is caused because the earth goes through the rubble that leaves a comet or asteroid while it waves around the sun. This rubble, which can be as small as a grain of sand, leaves a glowing luminous flux when it burns in the atmosphere of the earth.
Meteor shower takes place every year around the same time and can last days or weeks. But there is only a small window when every shower is at its peak, what happens when the earth reaches the closest part of the cosmic debris. The peak is the best time to look for a shower. From our point of view on earth, the meteors will seem to come from the same point in the air.
For example, the Meteoren-shower perseveres peaks in mid-August from the Constellation Perseus. The Geminids, which occur every year in December, radiate from the Constellation Gemini.
Bookmark the Times Space and Astronomy Calendar For memories about meteor showers all year round.
How to look a meteor shower
Michelle Nichols, the director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium In Chicago, the use of telescopes or binoculars recommends while looking at a meteor shower.
“You just need your eyes and ideally a dark sky,” she said.
That is because meteors can shoot over large parts of the air, so observing equipment can limit your field of vision.
Some showers are strong enough to produce a maximum of 100 stripes per hour, According to the American Meteor SocietyAlthough you will probably not see that much.
“Almost everyone is under a slightly polluted air,” said Mrs. Nichols. “You may think that you are under a dark sky, but in reality, even in a small town, you can have bright lights nearby.”
Planetaria, local astronomer clubs or even cards such as this Can help you find out where you can get away from excessive light. The best conditions for catching a meteor shower are a clear sky without a moon or skyshade, somewhere between midnight and sunrise. (Moonlight influences visibility in the same way as light pollution, so that weaker sources of light are washed out in heaven.) Make sure you give your eyes for at least 30 minutes to adapt to seeing in the dark.
Mrs. Nichols also recommends wearing layers, even in the summer. “You’ve been looking there for a while,” she said. “It’s getting cold even in August.”
Take a cup of cocoa or tea for even more warmth. Then go back, scan the air and enjoy the show.
Judson Jones contributed reporting.